World Economic Forum Article Argues for New Provinces in Pakistan, Citing Nigeria, Indonesia and Kenya

The debate over creating new provinces in Pakistan has gained international attention, with an article on the World Economic Forum’s website arguing that administrative reforms are needed to meet the needs of a growing population. The article notes that Pakistan’s population has increased more than sevenfold since 1951 to around 260 million, while the country still has only four provinces. It argues that smaller, empowered administrative units could bring government closer to the people, improve public services and strengthen accountability among elected representatives. These are the article’s arguments, not a government decision.

Proposals Discussed

• 16 units: Dividing each of the four existing provinces into four administrative units, giving each unit an average population of around 15 million.

• 23 to 25 units: A larger number of provincial units.

• More than 30 units: An even more decentralised model.

Why Smaller Units?

The article says that concentrating key powers in provincial capitals makes it harder to resolve public grievances. It also argues that stronger local institutions are essential to deal effectively with floods and other climate-related risks, and that wide-ranging financial reforms would support the change.

International Examples

The article points to several countries that expanded or restructured their administrative units:

• Nigeria: Increased its states from three to 36

• Indonesia: Expanded its provinces from 27 to 38

• Kenya: Replaced eight provinces with 47 elected county governments and changed how public funds are distributed

The article concludes that Pakistan could also benefit from transferring greater powers to lower levels of government, allowing local representatives to address public needs more effectively.