Pakistan's proposal to expand its four-province structure to as many as 12 has gathered momentum, with senior ministers backing it in the name of better governance.
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ministers → expand → governance
But the idea faces a major political hurdle: there is no consensus among the country's leading parties, particularly over the possible division of Sindh.
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idea → face → Sindh
Pakistan’s defence minister
Khawaja Asif has argued that Pakistan's growing population requires smaller provinces that can deliver public services more efficiently.
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that → argue → services
Speaking to Geo News, he said the country could consider creating 12 provinces, provided the boundaries were drawn on administrative rather than linguistic, ethnic or political grounds.
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boundaries → speak → grounds
“If there is a proposal for 12 provinces, then make it 12,” Asif said, adding that new units should not be created to serve “language, ethnicity or political interests”.
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units → be → interests
Pakistan’s interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has also revived the debate, suggesting a referendum to gauge public opinion on the contentious issue.
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Naqvi → revive → issue
His remarks have fuelled speculation that powerful quarters favour a broader restructuring of Pakistan's administrative map, with reports pointing to a possible constitutional exercise in 2027.
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reports → fuel → 2027
No formal roadmap, however, has been announced.
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roadmap → announce → ?
The proposed number of provinces, their boundaries and the process for creating them remain undecided.
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number → propose → them
What the proposed 12-province map could look like
One proposal reported in Pakistani media envisages dividing Punjab into four provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each, and Sindh into two.
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proposal → propose → two
The plan could involve a nationwide referendum and a possible 28th Constitutional Amendment, although neither has been confirmed as an approved government initiative.
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neither → involve → initiative
Supporters argue that the existing arrangement concentrates too much administrative and financial authority in provincial capitals leaving smaller cities and districts dependent on decisions taken far away.
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arrangement → argue → decisions
Asif has questioned whether federal funds transferred to provincial governments are reaching local institutions, arguing that decentralisation could bring decision-making and resources closer to communities.
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decentralisation → question → communities
Advocates of the proposal say smaller provinces would make public services more accessible and help address uneven development.
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services → say → development
It also raises questions about whether creating more provinces would improve governance without stronger local governments and greater financial autonomy for districts.
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creating → raise → districts
Political consensus remains the biggest hurdle
The proposal has exposed differences within the ruling coalition itself.
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proposal → remain → coalition
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, has firmly opposed any division of Sindh, while the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has yet to settle on a formal position.
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Nawaz → lead → position
The PML-N has said it will announce its position if the matter comes before Parliament, despite some of its leaders backing the creation of smaller provinces.
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some → say → provinces
A cabinet member in the Shehbaz Sharif government said reaching agreement would be difficult without the support of the major political parties.
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reaching → say → parties
The issue has also prompted speculation about a possible understanding between the government and the main opposition, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
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issue → prompt → government
PML-N leader and former federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has suggested that the establishment could offer relief to jailed former prime minister Imran Khan in return for PTI's support for the proposed constitutional changes.
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establishment → suggest → changes
Smaller parties have also entered the debate.
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parties → enter → debate
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has renewed its demand for new administrative units in Sindh, while Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has called for new provinces to be considered through consultation and in the national interest.
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provinces → renew → interest
The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party has backed the proposal on administrative grounds, while Jamaat-i-Islami has argued that the creation of new provinces should go hand in hand with strengthening local governments.
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creation → back → governments
What the Constitution requires
Even if political parties agree on the broad idea, redrawing provincial boundaries would require a demanding constitutional process.
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redrawing → require → process
Under Article 239 of Pakistan's Constitution, an amendment requires the support of at least two-thirds of the total membership of both houses of Parliament.
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amendment → require → Parliament
If it changes the limits of an existing province, it must also secure the backing of at least two-thirds of the total membership of that province's assembly.
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it → change → assembly
That gives provincial parties considerable leverage over any proposed division.
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That → give → division
A nationwide referendum is not an automatic constitutional requirement for creating provinces.
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referendum → create → provinces
Any such exercise would need its own legal and constitutional basis, and Parliament could not simply be bypassed in deciding the process or framing the questions put to voters.
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Parliament → need → voters
Following a meeting between Pakistan’s president Asif Ali Zardari and prime minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday, a senior government official told news agency PTI that the two leaders had agreed to adhere strictly to the constitutional provisions governing the creation of new provinces.
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leaders → follow → provinces
They also agreed that any proposed referendum would require parliamentary approval.
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referendum → agree → approval
Former federal information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani has meanwhile launched a campaign for the restoration of Bahawalpur province and the creation of 11 other smaller administrative units.
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Durrani → launch → units
For now, the proposal remains a subject of political debate rather than an agreed government plan.
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proposal → remain → debate
Any move to redraw the map would require agreement on boundaries, resources, parliamentary representation and the future of provincial institutions — as well as the constitutional numbers to make it happen.
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it → redraw → institutions
The Aporia
