DM Monitoring
ISLAMABAD: A proposal to redraw Pakistan’s administrative map into 12 provinces is under consideration, with a nationwide referendum envisaged ahead of a possible 28th Constitutional Amendment.
The move is said to be part of an effort to improve governance, strengthen administrative efficiency and distribute development more equitably across the country, media reported on Sunday.
According to sources familiar with the proposal, the constitutional amendment could be taken up in the first half of 2027, with preparatory steps possibly beginning in the first quarter.
Under the proposed arrangement, Punjab could be divided into four provinces, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan into three each and Sindh into two, bringing the total to 12.
The proposal, however, remains at the consideration stage. No final decision has been taken on the boundaries, administrative structures or the constitutional process needed for such a major restructuring.
A key element of the approach is a nationwide referendum before the amendment process begins. The aim is to gauge public opinion on the broader question of creating new provinces, establishing a popular mandate for restructuring rather than leaving the issue to political negotiation and partisan considerations.
Sources said the exercise was not intended to target any particular province or weaken the political or administrative standing of any existing unit. Rather, the argument is that Pakistan’s growing population, administrative challenges and uneven development call for a fresh approach to governance.
The central objective, according to those behind the proposal, is to bring government closer to ordinary citizens, improve access to public services, make administration more responsive and ensure that development projects and resources reach people across all regions.
Proponents believe smaller administrative units would make it easier for governments to identify local priorities, monitor public-sector performance, close gaps in service delivery and respond more effectively to citizens’ everyday problems.
The referendum is also seen as a possible way to move the debate beyond political rivalries. The creation of new provinces has historically provoked strong reactions, with parties and regional stakeholders often viewing the issue through the lens of electoral interests, provincial identity and the distribution of power.
Advocates argue that public opinion should take precedence over political calculation and that the question should be judged primarily on grounds of administrative efficiency and public welfare.
A nationwide consultation could also help build consensus on the principle of restructuring, though the exact boundaries, resource distribution, constitutional safeguards and transfer of administrative responsibilities would still require extensive political and parliamentary deliberation.
Any such restructuring would raise significant constitutional questions, including changes to the existing provincial framework and to representation, financial and administrative arrangements.
The initiative would therefore require broader political engagement and constitutional consensus before it could become a reality.
The underlying proposition is that creating new provinces should be seen not as a political contest between regions but as an administrative reform aimed at improving citizens’ quality of life, extending development to underserved areas and making the state more accessible and accountable to the people.
