Web desk: A national debate has started over the creation of new provinces in Pakistan, as an economic think tank has put forward fresh scenarios to restructure the country’s administrative setup.
According to the Economic Policy and Business Development think tank, the current provincial structure is failing to bridge the gap in regional economic growth.
It says the size of Pakistan’s provinces, compared with other countries, is far too large and unevenly populated, leading to serious challenges in governance, poverty reduction and equal access to education and jobs.
Population concentration in Pakistan’s provinces
The report highlights that Pakistan’s population of more than 241 million is concentrated in only four provinces.
Punjab has a population of around 127.6 million, Sindh 55.6 million, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 40.8 million, and Balochistan 14.8 million. On average, each province has over 60 million people, far higher than the global norm.
Poverty levels vary widely, with Punjab at 30 per cent, Sindh at 45 per cent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 48 per cent, and Balochistan as high as 70 per cent.
What is the solution?
The think tank has suggested three possible options. The first scenario calls for 12 smaller provinces, each with a population of around 20 million and a provincial budget of Rs994 billion.
A second scenario proposes 15 to 20 provinces, where each unit would have a population between 12 and 16 million, with budgets ranging from Rs600 billion to Rs800 billion.
A third scenario recommends dividing the country into 38 federal divisions, each covering about 6.3 million people.
The report claims that forming smaller provinces would ease the pressure on existing structures, reduce disparities, and allow provincial budgets to be used more effectively. Without reforms, it warns, issues of poverty, unemployment, and educational inequality will continue to deepen.
Will new provinces be created in Pakistan?
Speaking on a private TV show, PML-N leader Rana Sanaullah said the matter of creating new provinces is not currently under consideration at any level.
“If the issue comes before the cabinet or the prime minister seeks an opinion, then it could be said that it is under discussion. At the moment, no such matter exists anywhere,” he clarified.
Senior PPP leader Shazia Marri, meanwhile, remarked that the debate over new provinces appears to have been initiated as part of a deliberate strategy.
She argued there was no real need for such a discussion, adding that many of the federation’s responsibilities had already been transferred to the provinces.
Marri further stressed that the PPP has always maintained the same position: if a new province is ever to be created, it must be done strictly according to the Constitution.
She pointed out that provinces, after the 18th Amendment, have taken on several responsibilities and also face their own constraints. “If this issue is taken up, then provincial perspectives must also be included,” she added.
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