Summary New provinces could save Rs318bn annually, claims the ex-lawmaker
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Former MNA and former Faisalabad City District Nazim Rana Zahid Touseef has called for the creation of new administrative units to address the basic problems faced by people.
He said Faisalabad division should be granted provincial status before Islamabad, arguing that establishing new provinces could result in annual savings of Rs318 billion. He also said making Faisalabad a province would accelerate development across its four districts.
Speaking at a press conference in Faisalabad alongside prominent political, business and social figures, Touseef described the move towards creating new administrative units as one of the best initiatives in Pakistan’s 79-year history. He said several countries that gained independence after Pakistan had moved far ahead, while Pakistan had fallen behind because of flawed policies and weaknesses in the system.
Creation of new provinces
Touseef said merely changing political faces would not resolve the country’s longstanding problems, stressing that structural reforms and a change in the system were required.
He argued that the creation of new provinces and administrative units could bring governance closer to the people and help address issues that remain unresolved under the existing administrative structure. He particularly called for Faisalabad division to be prioritised for provincial status before Islamabad.
Touseef also said granting Faisalabad provincial status would promote development across all four districts of the division and provide a stronger administrative framework for addressing local needs.
Chairman of the Faisalabad Power Loom Owners Association Waheed Khaliq Ramey said billions of rupees were collected in taxes from the industrial city, but Faisalabad did not receive resources proportionate to its economic contribution.
Industrial hub
Ramey said making Faisalabad a province was essential to protecting its industries and strengthening the city’s economic security. He said the development of one city could not, by itself, translate into the development of the whole of Punjab.
He stressed the need for an administrative structure that could better support Faisalabad’s industrial base and ensure that resources generated by the city contributed to its own development.
Local residents also expressed hope that the creation of new provinces would help resolve problems linked to healthcare, education, sanitation and other basic public services.
The press conference was attended by political, business and social representatives who voiced support for greater administrative focus on Faisalabad and its surrounding districts.
