Pakistan debates increasing number of provinces in order to improve governance

A growing debate over redrawing Pakistan’s administrative map – from four provinces to 12 –has gained fresh momentum after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif backed the creation of smaller provinces, arguing that bringing government closer to the people could improve public services and development. The proposal, which could fundamentally reshape Pakistan’s political and administrative structure, comes amid increasing calls for decentralisation, more equitable distribution of resources and greater powers for local governments. [ . . . ] Creating new provinces would require major constitutional changes. Under Article 239 of Pakistan’s Constitution, a constitutional amendment generally requires the support of at least two-thirds of the total membership of both houses of parliament. [ . . . ] Despite growing political discussion, Pakistan has yet to announce an official roadmap for creating new provinces. Key issues would include the drawing of boundaries, allocation of financial resources, representation in parliament, administrative costs and the future of provincial institutions.
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