Khawaja Asif calls for creation of new administrative units in Pakistan

Speaking to a private television channel on Sunday, Asif said Pakistan should examine the possibility of establishing additional administrative units, pointing out that several countries have adopted similar arrangements to facilitate governance. He said the concentration of power should not remain limited to provincial capitals such as Lahore, Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar.

Instead, administrative authority should be transferred to smaller units to ensure better governance and access to public services. Referring to Pakistan's administrative history, the defence minister recalled that the country had previously introduced the One Unit system by merging provinces, but the decision was subsequently reversed.

Asif also cited Afghanistan as an example, saying the country had increased the number of its provinces from around eight to 10 to approximately 30 to 32 through administrative restructuring. He argued that funds transferred from the federal government often remain at the discretion of provincial governments, although local government institutions should be the ultimate beneficiaries.

He said local bodies themselves remain dependent on provincial governments, limiting their ability to address public needs effectively. The minister stressed that political leaders should recognise that power is a public trust rather than something to be concentrated in their own hands.

Asif said that if there was a proposal to establish 12 administrative units, the idea should be considered, adding that their formation should not be based on language, ethnicity or narrow political interests. His remarks have brought the question of administrative restructuring back into the national political debate, particularly amid longstanding demands for greater decentralisation and improved local governance.

However, creating new provinces or changing Pakistan's provincial boundaries would require constitutional and political consensus, making the proposal a potentially contentious issue among political parties and provincial stakeholders.