Recently, a roundtable discussion on the need for new provinces was held at the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI) to examine whether it enhances governance and improves public service delivery. Politicians, policymakers, academics, and media representatives participated in debating administrative divisions and their role in national development.
A key outcome of the moot was a general consensus that Pakistan’s governance structure requires urgent reforms, with the creation of new provinces emerging as a viable solution to administrative and public service challenges. Panelists noted that Punjab, for example, is larger than some countries, making governance complex and inefficient. Most suggested either converting existing administrative units into provinces or merging multiple districts to form new ones. However, they acknowledged that regional political elites have been the main source of resistance, fearing a loss of influence.
Participants cited global examples, such as India (29 provinces), Indonesia (38 provinces), and Turkey (81 provinces), which have effectively managed governance through smaller administrative units. Given Pakistan’s growing population, they argued that more provinces would ensure equitable resource distribution and improved service delivery. Regarding the need for new provinces and administrative units, there is little room for debate. However, these provinces must not be created along ethnic lines. Pakistan’s existing provinces, established during colonial rule or after independence based on ethnicity, have often left minority groups feeling marginalized, depriving them of their due political, economic, and cultural rights. As a result, ethnic tensions and conflicts have hindered development and overall national progress.
Had ethnicity-based provinces been a solution, Pakistan would have been well-governed and politically stable. Unfortunately, no one can make such a claim today. Bad governance, evident in soaring inflation and widespread societal conflicts, has deeply affected the country. What is needed is a governance model based on a modern administrative philosophy.
Considering ongoing administrative challenges and governance failures, Pakistan must rationalize its administrative structure. This restructuring should include, but not be limited to, revamping the federal-provincial-district framework, implementing comprehensive civil service reforms, and revisiting existing policies to close gaps. A well-structured administrative system is crucial for ensuring good governance and national development.
Insofar as revamping the whole administrative structure of the country is concerned the policymakers have to come up with novel solutions. The administrative structure we have, whatever name you may give it or cosmetic changes introduced may have been introduced to them, is colonial in form and essence. It does not mean that the colonial administrative structures were worthless. In fact, they had their own virtue and substance. However, with large-scale social, political, economic, technological and other changes particularly the manifold increase in population and concomitant rise in new issues and problems, the colonial structures have been found wanting. Therefore, there has been a need to come up with new administrative structures which have the capacity to address the issues of contemporary postmodern times and people.
The most important aspect of administrative restructuring is forming more viable and administratively functional units. Formation of more administratively lean and vibrant provinces is the cry of the hour. When Pakistan came into existence there were three provinces in the existing Pakistan while Balochistan was given the status of a full-fledged province in 1970. Over the years we have observed that the provinces have failed to give viable, sustainable good governance structures and models. The reason is that provincial governments have so many areas, issues and problems to negotiate but they find themselves incapacitated to respond effectively. This has particularly been the situation since the passage of the 18th Constitutional Amendment in April 2010 when provinces were given more subjects to legislate upon and govern. The provinces have had huge capacity issues to come up with sound legislation and policies regarding the large number of departments handed over to them.
The first phase of local government elections in the KP and preparations for the holding of these elections in other provinces are very positive political developments. But most of the districts and lower tiers of municipal structures in the last stint had generally failed to deliver to the people and address their key issues. The main causes of this lack of good governance and administrative vacuum on part of the district governments has been lack of capacity and will among the elected representatives. Another key reason has been provinces’ reluctance to devolve administrative, legal and financial authority to the districts and tehsil level governments. Consequently, there has been a situation best explained by the term administrative hotchpotch with so many officials and departments but little respite and relieve to the people in terms of provision of basic amenities and solution of their basic problems. The issues of lack of capacity of the provinces to deal with so many departments could be meaningfully addressed by creating more provinces. Whereas, by having more provinces the local government structures could be made really functional to be of any value to the people.
Better governance through provincial restructuring could improve law and order, infrastructure and civic services besides ensuring sustainable development and political stability in the country. Moreover, in order to address Pakistan’s administrative and governance challenges there is a need to ensure an efficient and inclusive federal structure. Pakistan today has reached such a critical juncture of its history and the problems have got so multiplied due to rapid increase in population as well as forces of globalization and concomitant awareness that the old structures of state apparatus need to be completely transformed to bring in line with the cries of the time.