ISLAMABAD: Government and opposition leaders, policy experts and senior journalists took part in a national debate on administrative restructuring and the creation of new provinces in Pakistan, emphasising the need for new administrative units, devolution of powers, fair distribution of resources and improved public service delivery.
Sarfaraz Bugti calls for consensus on new administrative units
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said the province needed new provinces, but stressed that their establishment required broader consensus. He said increasing the number of administrative units could help resolve public problems more quickly.
Bugti said the number of divisions in Balochistan had been increased from eight to 12.
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi suggests new units at division level
Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called for a careful decision on the creation of new provinces, suggesting that new administrative units should instead be established at the division level.
He said the divisional system introduced by the British was geographically well-suited and could provide an effective administrative structure. He estimated that around 32 administrative units could be established across the country.
Abbasi said the police system would also need to be localised, adding that police in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir dealt with the public more effectively. He noted that demands for new provinces faced strong opposition as well as strong support.
Asad Umar backs new provinces and empowered local governments
Former federal minister Asad Umar said there was nothing wrong with creating new provinces, adding that the Constitution already provided a procedure for doing so.
He said Pakistan’s challenge was not merely the devolution of powers but also the modernisation of its administrative system.
Umar said the country had around 859 representatives for a population of nearly 250 million, arguing that their number should be increased to 100,000. He stressed the need for empowered local governments and said new provinces and administrative units could improve public service delivery.
He maintained that creating new provinces was not about dividing the country but addressing service-delivery problems caused by a vertical gap in governance. He added that two provincial assemblies had already passed resolutions concerning the establishment of new provinces.
Khurram Dastgir stresses preparations before creating new provinces
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Khurram Dastgir said the creation of new provinces was an important process but stressed the need to control population growth and lay the necessary foundations for a new administrative structure.
Participants at the debate emphasised that decisions on administrative reforms and new provinces should be made carefully and with consensus to ensure fair resource distribution, stronger local governments and effective solutions to public problems.
