No final decision on new provinces yet: official

A senior government official has said that the ongoing debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative units is not aimed at targeting any particular province or region, but is primarily intended to improve governance and make the state’s administrative system more efficient and accountable to the public.

Speaking to The News on Sunday on condition of anonymity, the senior official said no final decision had yet been taken on whether Pakistan needed additional provinces, new administrative units, or further devolution of powers to the district and local-government levels.

“There is no intention to target any particular province or region,” the official said, adding that the fundamental question was whether improvements could be made to the existing administrative system to ensure better governance and deliver tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.

He said the discussion was still at an early stage and it would be premature to suggest that the government had already settled on a particular model.

“It is yet to be decided whether there will be new provinces, administrative units, or devolution of powers to the district and local levels,” he said.

According to the official, any future administrative restructuring would primarily be assessed on whether it improves governance and provides clear benefits to citizens.

His remarks come as political debate intensifies over the need for additional provinces or smaller administrative units, with federal ministers and political leaders increasingly voicing their views on the issue.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently backed putting the question before the public, saying that any major administrative restructuring should ultimately reflect the will of the people.

His remarks have triggered a broader discussion about the possible creation of new provinces and administrative units, as well as the constitutional procedures required for such changes.

The senior official said the immediate objective was not to determine the number or boundaries of new provinces, but to initiate a serious national debate and build consensus on whether the existing administrative structure was adequately serving the public.

He stressed that the discussion should focus on public interest rather than political or regional considerations.

The official’s comments also indicate that the government has not formally endorsed any specific proposal so far. This distinction is significant because the creation of new provinces involves constitutional considerations, including a prescribed procedure for altering provincial boundaries. Administrative restructuring and devolution of powers, on the other hand, can take different forms and do not necessarily require changes to the country’s constitutional map.

Asked about the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s position on the issue, the official said the party would ultimately support whichever course of action it considered to be in the national interest.

Asked about the possible positions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, he said the PML-N would do “whatever is in Pakistan’s interest.”

However, the official gave no indication as to whether the PML-N leadership had already reached a consensus on the question of new provinces or administrative units.

Asked about President Asif Ali Zardari’s possible role in the debate, the official avoided speculation, saying: “You should ask Asif Ali Zardari himself.”