ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Friday said the creation of new provinces was the need of the hour.

In a statement on X, he said: “I firmly believe that Pakistan’s growing population and expanding administrative needs make the creation of new provinces an urgent national requirement.

“It is time to reorganise our four existing provinces — Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan — into three new administrative units each, named North, Central, and South, while preserving their original provincial identities.”

Aleem Khan, who is also the president of the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), an ally of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), termed his proposal a significant step toward improved governance.

He further said that such restructuring would bring governance closer to the people, ensure efficient delivery of public services, and allow chief secretaries, inspectors general of police, and high courts to function more effectively within manageable jurisdictions. “For decades, the debate on new provinces has remained limited to politics and slogans. Now is the time for serious, consultative action to make this vision a reality,” he added.

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Mr Khan said creating new provinces would not divide Pakistan but instead strengthen national unity, improve economic management, and enhance stability through balanced regional development.

“Let us work together to establish administratively feasible, people-centered provinces, so that every citizen’s voice is heard and their problems are solved at their doorstep,” he remarked.

Meeting with Iran’s envoy

Later, during a meeting with the Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, Communication Minister Aleem Khan reaffirmed his commitment to facilitating smoother cross-border movement of goods between Pakistan and Iran.

He expressed hope that bilateral trade between the two countries could reach Rs10 billion, emphasising that all necessary measures would be taken to address issues related to the entry and exit of Iranian trade trucks at border points.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2025