Pakistan New Provinces Plan: What Could Change?

Pakistan is looking into ways to restructure its provincial administration, including plans to divide its four existing provinces into smaller divisions. The topic has gathered traction ahead of parliamentary talks in October, but political differences and constitutional obstacles remain.

The issue is how Pakistan may improve public services and manage its large population in various locations. Field Marshal Asim Munir, the country’s military chief, is said to support the notion, while political leaders have suggested various ways to reform the current structure.

No final plan has been publicly agreed upon. The proposals range from establishing more provinces to giving district administrations greater authority without changing provincial borders.

Pakistan New Provinces Debate: Why Is It Growing?

The topic gained traction in July, when Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged for reforms to the country’s administrative structure. He claimed that the existing system did not provide adequate public services.

Ahsan Iqbal, the Planning Minister, later suggested two viable approaches. One includes forming 12 to 15 provinces by political agreement. The other will bolster local governance in Pakistan’s 160 districts.

These options would provide various outcomes. Adding new provinces would necessitate adjustments to existing provincial boundaries, but empowering district administrations could improve local decision-making without splitting the country into new provinces.

Iqbal has also expressed reservations about how authority is dispersed under the 18th Constitutional Amendment, which was introduced in 2010. The amendment delegated significant authority from the federal government to the provinces. However, he claims that provincial governments have not delegated enough of these responsibilities to local governments.

Another aspect of the discussion concerns population differences. According to Pakistan’s 2023 census, Punjab has 127.69 million people, accounting for roughly 53% of the national population. Balochistan had 14.89 million people during the same census.

The disparity between the two provinces underscores the varying administrative challenges that areas confront across the country.

Pakistan New Provinces Plan: What Approval Is Needed?

Creating new provinces would necessitate constitutional amendments rather than a decision by the federal government alone. Article 239 outlines the approval process for constitutional modifications.

A proposed amendment must be supported by at least two-thirds of the entire membership of the National Assembly and Senate. If provincial boundaries are to be amended, the affected provincial legislature must adopt the amendment by a two-thirds vote of its whole membership.

Sindh has already declared its opposition. On September 3, its provincial assembly voted unanimously to reject suggestions to partition the province, create another province from its territory, or place any portion of it under federal administration.

The resolution clearly alluded to Article 239(4) and said that the parliament would not approve alterations to Sindh’s borders. This opposition creates a significant political barrier to any project involving the province.

Financial preparations will also require care. According to the Seventh National Finance Commission award, provinces receive 57.5 percent of the applicable pool of federal taxes. Their shares are calculated using a method that takes into account several criteria, including population.

An August policy document from Islamabad’s Institute of Policy Studies cited income sharing, taxation, administrative expenses, and borrowing as challenges that would need to be addressed before additional provinces could be formed.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, Parliamentary Affairs Minister, indicated in September that the ideas would be debated by both houses of Parliament in October. However, debates alone will not alter province boundaries. Any restructuring that produces new provinces must comply with constitutional standards, including ratification of the affected provincial legislature.

For the time being, Pakistan must choose between expanding into smaller provinces and improving local governance within the existing framework. The outcome will be determined by political consensus, constitutional approval, and judgements regarding administrative and financial responsibility.