By Fazal Khaliq
The military establishment and policy research bodies in Pakistan have endorsed the creation of new provinces to address administrative inefficiencies and socio-economic disparities in the existing provincial framework. This research article elaborates on the detailed proposals from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, and critically assesses the administrative, political, and socio-economic rationale underpinning the division. Drawing on expert analyses and extensive literature, the paper argues that new provinces would enhance governance, promote equitable development, improve resource distribution, and enable better political representation.
Introduction
Pakistan, with a population exceeding 270 million, currently consists of four provinces with marked disparities in population density, geographic area, economic development, and ethnic composition. The existing provincial setup faces significant governance challenges, including administrative centralization, uneven development, and underrepresentation of remote or marginalized regions. In response, the military establishment and policy researchers from the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) have proposed new provinces across all existing provinces—five in Punjab, three in Sindh, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two in Balochistan—primarily on administrative grounds (IPRI, 2025).
Detailed Proposals for New Provinces
- Punjab: Five proposed provinces based on historical and civil division units aim to decentralize administration from highly populated and sprawling units like Lahore- and Multan-centered divisions. These provinces would range from 22,000 to 60,000 square kilometers, with populations varying from 11.4 million (Rawalpindi province) to over 41.5 million (Lahore-based province).
- Sindh: A tripartite provincial structure is proposed, separating Karachi’s mega-urban area from northern and southern Sindh, addressing urban-rural divides, and skewed resource allocations.
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan: Divisions are proposed to better reflect geographic realities and ethnic identities, such as Malakand and Dera Ismail Khan provinces in KP and Quetta and Kalat in Balochistan (IPRI, 2025).
Rationale for New Provinces: Administrative and Governance Imperatives
- Administrative Efficiency and Decentralization
Pakistan’s large provinces, particularly Punjab and Sindh, suffer from centralized governance where provincial capitals dominate resource allocation and decision-making. This leads to neglect and underdevelopment of remote districts. For instance, districts in South Punjab have lower Human Development Index (HDI) scores compared to Lahore, the provincial capital (Dawn, 2025; The Nation, 2024). Smaller provinces facilitate governance closer to citizens, enabling swift bureaucratic responses and reducing red tape (Tribune, 2024).
- Equitable Resource Distribution
Current fiscal frameworks disproportionately favor populous or politically influential provinces, causing ethnic and regional grievances. Smaller provinces with autonomous budgets can ensure more equitable revenue distribution and targeted development spending. This approach aligns with successful federal models such as the US (50 states) and India (29 states), which balance political representation and economic growth effectively (Latif, 2017).
- Better Political Representation and Accountability
Smaller provinces correspond more closely to ethno-linguistic and cultural identities, reducing dominance of major groups within heterogeneous provinces. Decentralization enhances government accountability, as residents can more easily monitor politicians and bureaucrats in smaller administrative units, curbing corruption and increasing transparency (Eurasia Review, 2024).
- Improved Public Service Delivery
Creating new provinces promotes the expansion of health and education infrastructure beyond provincial capitals, which currently monopolize such services. New provincial governments have the mandate to establish hospitals and educational institutions in their regions, broadening access to healthcare and education (Latif, 2017).
- Conflict Mitigation and National Integration
While ethnic tensions can pose risks, managed provincial divisions can also serve as conflict resolution mechanisms by addressing historical grievances of marginalized communities, reducing separatist sentiments, and reinforcing federal structure stability (PLHR, 2024). A consensus-driven approach in creating provinces would help absorb ethnic demands and strengthen national cohesion.
Challenges to Creating New Provinces
Despite the benefits, the creation of new provinces faces constitutional, political, and social challenges including:
- Legal complexities requiring amendments with supermajority approvals in parliament and provincial assemblies.
- Potential boundary disputes, as seen in India, which can escalate tensions.
- Resistance from established power centers fearing loss of influence.
- The need for robust fiscal frameworks ensuring new provinces are economically viable (Latif, 2017; PLHR, 2024).
Conclusion
The proposal for new provinces in Pakistan is a strategic administrative reform aimed at enhancing governance, promoting equitable development, and improving political inclusiveness. Smaller, more manageable provinces would bring government closer to the people, ensuring better service delivery and accountability. While challenges remain, comprehensive stakeholder engagement, constitutional safeguards, and political consensus can facilitate a peaceful and effective transition to a more federal and devolved provincial structure.
References
Dawn. (2025, August 22). New provinces? – Pakistan. DAWN. https://www.dawn.com/news/1935090
Eurasia Review. (2024, November 5). The case for new provinces in Pakistan: Enhancing governance and representation. https://www.eurasiareview.com/06112024-the-case-for-new-provinces-in-pakistan-enhancing-governance-and-representation-oped/
Islamabad Policy Research Institute. (2025). Concept paper on the creation of new administrative units/provinces in Pakistan. Islamabad Policy Research Institute.
Latif, M. M. (2017). Demand for new provinces in Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 5(2), 104–114. https://journals.internationalrasd.org/index.php/pjhss/article/download/20/24/184
PLHR. (2024). Demand for new provinces in Pakistan: A source of stability or instability. Pakistan Legal History Research. https://plhr.org.pk/article/demand-for-new-provinces-in-pakistan-a-source-of-stability-or-instability
The Nation. (2024, May 18). Creating new provinces. The Nation. https://www.nation.com.pk/18-May-2024/creating-new-provinces
Tribune. (2024, December 3). Administrative and financial governance: A case for smaller provinces. The Express Tribune. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2513795/administrative-and-financial-governance-a-case-for-smaller-provinces
