ISLAMABAD, Sep 08 (Alliance News): The ongoing debate over creating new provinces and administrative units in Pakistan is not aimed at targeting any particular province or region, a senior government official said, stressing that the main objective is to improve governance and make the administrative system more responsive to citizens.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said no final decision had been taken on whether Pakistan needed additional provinces, new administrative units or greater devolution of powers to districts and local governments.
“There is no intention to target any particular province or any particular region,” the official said, adding that the key question was whether the existing administrative structure could be improved to provide better governance and tangible benefits to ordinary citizens.
The official said the debate remained at an early stage and it was premature to suggest that the government had selected a specific model.
He said the options under discussion included creating new provinces, establishing administrative units or devolving greater powers to district and local levels.
According to the official, any future restructuring should be judged primarily on whether it improves governance and delivers visible benefits to the public.
The remarks come amid growing political debate over Pakistan’s administrative structure, with federal ministers and political leaders increasingly calling for discussion on smaller provinces and administrative units.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has recently called for the issue to be taken to the people, saying major restructuring should ultimately reflect public opinion.
The senior official said the immediate objective was not to determine the number or boundaries of new provinces but to begin a serious national debate and build political consensus on whether the existing system was adequately serving the people.
He stressed that the discussion should remain focused on public interest rather than political or regional considerations.
The official’s comments also indicate that the government has not formally committed itself to any particular proposal.
The creation of new provinces would involve constitutional requirements, particularly where provincial boundaries are affected. Administrative restructuring and devolution of powers, however, could take other forms without necessarily changing Pakistan’s constitutional map.
Asked about the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s position, the official said the party would support whatever option was ultimately considered to be in the national interest.
“The PML-N will do whatever is in the interest of Pakistan,” he said when asked about the likely positions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
The official did not indicate whether the PML-N leadership had reached any consensus on creating new provinces or administrative units.
Asked about the possible role of President Asif Ali Zardari in the debate, the official declined to comment and said the matter should be discussed with the president himself.
