INTERIOR Minister Mohsin Naqvi has revived a national debate over whether Pakistan needs more provinces. Speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit in Islamabad on July 30, 2026, he said the country’s governance system had “collapsed” and could no longer meet the needs of its growing population. He called for political consensus on creating smaller administrative units or provinces, arguing that decentralization could bring government closer to citizens, improve public services and help local industries overcome bureaucratic obstacles. His remarks drew mixed reactions, with supporters citing inequality and critics demanding consensus, safeguards and public consultation.

Pakistan’s population is estimated at 259.3 million in 2026, yet it has four constitutional provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir are administered separately because of their distinct status. This structure has changed little despite population growth and demands for representation. Residents of South Punjab, interior Sindh, Hazara, the former tribal districts and remote Balochistan often complain that provincial capitals are distant and development is concentrated in major cities. International experience shows that smaller units can improve representation, but may also create costly bureaucracies and weak governments. India offers the closest comparison. In 2000, it created Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand from larger states, with sharply different results. Uttarakhand is generally regarded as the strongest success. Statehood gave its mountainous districts an administration more........

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