A debate on whether Pakistan should create more administrative units brought politicians, experts and civil society representatives together, with participants calling for stronger local governments, greater fiscal devolution and broader governance reforms.
The discussion, organised by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), was attended by representatives of PML-N, PPP, MQM, PTI, JI and JUI-F, as well as federal ministers and technocrats.
Participants said any restructuring of the administrative system should take into account constitutional requirements, public demand, financial sustainability, administrative capacity and its impact on service delivery. They stressed that greater political, administrative and financial authority should be devolved to lower tiers of government.
Jamaat-i-Islami leader Liaqat Baloch supported considering new provinces alongside empowered local governments, fiscal reforms and constitutional changes. He also called for a stronger role for the Council of Common Interests in resolving disputes over resources and water.
Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal said smaller administrative units could bring government closer to citizens but stressed that new provinces should have public backing. Minister of State for Law Barrister Aqeel Malik highlighted the need for effective local governments to address everyday issues such as roads, streets and sanitation.
PPP leaders Qamar Zaman Kaira and Nadeem Afzal Chan urged caution and consensus, warning against reforms that could intensify regional tensions over resource distribution. Chan also called for judicial, electoral and institutional reforms within the constitutional framework.
Former federal minister Asad Umar identified centralisation and declining public trust as major governance challenges and proposed a three-tier NFC mechanism for distributing resources among the federation, provinces and local governments.
PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said existing divisions, districts and tehsils needed greater powers, while MNA Noor Alam Khan called for comprehensive governance reforms alongside any move to create new provinces.
Economist Dr Farrukh Saleem opposed creating more provinces without first addressing institutional weaknesses, arguing that governance and expenditure were bigger challenges than tax collection. Journalist Mohammad Mallick said structural changes would have limited impact without reforms in institutional behaviour and political culture.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said the debate highlighted the need to consider new provinces, empowered local governments, fiscal devolution and improved public service delivery as part of a broader governance framework.
