Senior ministers argue that administrative decentralization will direct vital resources closer to local communities across the country. One proposed model would restructure Punjab into four units, divide Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each, and split Sindh into two. The initiative faces deep political divisions, notably because the Pakistan Peoples Party opposes any partition of Sindh. Furthermore, the ruling coalition has yet to present a formal roadmap or officially confirm legislative plans.
Key points
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif maintains that new provinces must be created solely on admi…: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif maintains that new provinces must be created solely on administrative grounds rather than linguistic or ethnic factors.
Strong pushback from coalition partners like the Pakistan Peoples Party creates an immedi…: Strong pushback from coalition partners like the Pakistan Peoples Party creates an immediate roadblock against splitting existing administrative regions.
The government has not yet formulated a formal roadmap, finalized boundary lines, or secu…: The government has not yet formulated a formal roadmap, finalized boundary lines, or secured a concrete legislative agreement.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
Pakistan's proposal to expand its four-province structure to as many as 12 has gathered momentum, with senior ministers backing it in the name of better governance. But the idea faces a major political hurdle: there is no consensus among the country's leading parties, particularly over the possible division of Sindh.
Pakistan’s defence minister
Khawaja Asif has argued that Pakistan's growing population requires smaller provinces that can deliver public services more efficiently. Speaking to Geo News, he said the country could consider creating 12 provinces, provided the boundaries were drawn on administrative rather than linguistic, ethnic or political grounds.
“If there is a proposal for 12 provinces, then make it 12,” Asif said, adding that new units should not be created to serve “language, ethnicity or political interests”.
Pakistan’s interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has also revived the debate, suggesting a referendum to gauge public opinion on the contentious issue. His remarks have fuelled speculation that powerful quarters favour a broader restructuring of Pakistan's administrative map, with reports pointing to a possible constitutional exercise in 2027.
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