Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has proposed a major restructuring of Pakistan’s administrative system, suggesting that the country could consider creating 12 to 15 new provinces. Under the proposal, each of Pakistan’s four existing provinces could potentially be divided into three smaller administrative units.
Iqbal called for a national debate on the idea, saying that the current provincial structure has become increasingly centralised and has struggled to provide efficient public services, particularly in key sectors such as health and education.
He argued that smaller provinces could improve governance by bringing administrative decision-making closer to citizens and allowing local needs to be addressed more effectively.
The Planning Minister, however, stressed that any move to create new provinces would require broad political consensus and a fair and equitable formula. He said the process should be discussed at the national level rather than being pursued unilaterally.
At present, there is no formal decision to create new provinces, and no committee has been established to work on the proposal, according to the Prime Minister’s aide.
The suggestion is therefore at the stage of a broader policy discussion, with further debate and political consultation required before any concrete steps can be taken.
