ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said discussions in Pakistan are focused on creating new administrative units rather than dividing the country into smaller provinces.
He said the issue remains under discussion, with individual views emerging within the ruling party but no formal consensus reached so far.
Speaking to the media in the federal capital, Khawaja Asif said there was generally no objection to the creation of new provinces in Punjab, but resistance emerged when similar proposals concerned other provinces.
The defence minister said the ruling party had not yet convened a formal meeting to develop a collective position on the creation of new administrative units. He added that statements being made on the issue currently reflected the individual opinions of party leaders rather than an officially agreed policy.
Devolving powers
Khawaja Asif said he had been working for some time on the implementation of the devolution of powers envisaged under the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
He said efforts were needed to strengthen the system and ensure that powers could be transferred further down to district governments. According to the minister, greater devolution at the local level could form part of the broader discussion surrounding the country's administrative structure.
The 18th Amendment significantly expanded provincial autonomy, while the issue of transferring authority to local and district-level governments has remained a subject of political debate.
Khawaja Asif's remarks indicate that the current discussion is not necessarily centred on creating additional provinces, but on examining how the country's administrative framework could be reorganised and how government powers could be brought closer to local communities.
Islamabad status
The defence minister also discussed the administrative status of Islamabad, suggesting that the federal capital could potentially be designated as a federal territory.
He said several countries have federal territories and cited Washington as an example. Under such an arrangement, Islamabad could remain directly administered by the federal government rather than being treated as part of a provincial structure.
Khawaja Asif further suggested that the possibility of creating one or two additional federal territories could also be considered.
The proposal would represent a broader administrative discussion rather than a straightforward move towards establishing new provinces. Any such change, however, would require consideration within the existing constitutional and political framework.
Regional warning
During the media interaction, Khawaja Asif also addressed regional security developments. He said an attack on Saudi Arabia by the Houthis would be considered an attack on Pakistan.
His remarks came in the context of Pakistan's wider regional security concerns and its relations with Saudi Arabia. The minister linked the issue to Pakistan's position on developments affecting countries in the region.
Khawaja Asif's comments on administrative reforms come as the debate over governance, provincial structures and devolution continues in Pakistan.
For now, he said, there is no formal party position on the proposed administrative units, with discussions and individual views continuing among political leaders.