Chitral backs new province plan, calls for smaller administrative units

Citizens have particularly backed a proposal to establish a new province comprising the districts of Swat, Dir and Chitral, describing the move

CHITRAL: Residents of Chitral have voiced support for the creation of new provinces, saying smaller administrative units could help promote balanced development, improve governance and bring government services closer to ordinary citizens.

Citizens have particularly backed a proposal to establish a new province comprising the districts of Swat, Dir and Chitral, describing the move as a potentially important administrative reform.

Speaking about the proposed restructuring, residents said Chitral’s vast geographical area makes effective administration under the existing provincial setup difficult. They argued that combining Chitral with Swat and Dir into a separate province could improve access to senior government officials and make public services more accessible.

According to residents, people in remote areas often face considerable difficulties in reaching the chief minister and other provincial authorities. They believe the creation of smaller provinces or administrative units could reduce this distance and provide citizens with more direct access to government institutions.

They also maintained that administrative decentralisation could contribute to more balanced regional development by enabling authorities to focus more closely on the needs of local communities.

Residents said a new administrative framework could improve service delivery, strengthen coordination between citizens and state institutions and help address longstanding governance challenges in geographically remote areas.

They expressed the view that establishing smaller provinces would not only benefit the people of Chitral, Swat and Dir but could also have broader positive implications for the country by promoting efficient administration and equitable development.

The growing support from Chitral comes amid a wider national debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative units, with proponents arguing that decentralisation could make governance more effective and responsive to citizens.