What if the problem isn’t the people, but the distance between the state and the citizen?
Pakistan’s provinces have grown enormously in population, cities have expanded, and demands for greater representation and better governance have intensified. This has brought the question of new provinces back into the national debate.
From Karachi’s demand for greater local control to Bahawalpur’s distinct historical identity, the debate goes beyond drawing new boundaries. It is about who controls resources, how power is devolved, how communities are represented, and whether government can respond effectively to people’s needs.
Digital Debate, in collaboration with the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), hosted “Smaller Units, Stronger Governance: Reimagining Pakistan’s Federal Structure.”
The discussion brought together Haider Abbas Rizvi, Muhammad Ali Durrani, and Abdullah Khan, with Sabookh Syed as moderator.
The speakers explored Pakistan’s federal structure, the urban-rural divide in Sindh, Bahawalpur’s provincial demand, the impact of the 18th Amendment, local government, resource distribution and the security implications of creating smaller administrative units.
At the heart of the debate is one question:
Do Pakistan’s governance challenges require new provinces, or stronger institutions closer to the people?
DD Briefs
Digital Debate is an independent policy and governance platform examining the structural questions facing Pakistan. Its research programme covers federalism, public finance, human security and institutional reform.
