Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that creating new provinces or administrative units is a national issue and should not face opposition from any side.
Speaking exclusively to Geo News at the Parliament House, Khawaja Asif said that he currently did not have any information about the proposed administrative units.
He said that creating a separate and independent institution in Islamabad could be a positive step. He explained that such an institution could be called an assembly, a provincial government, or a capital government. According to him, similar administrative arrangements already exist in many capitals around the world.
Khawaja Asif said that he was not aware of any detailed discussion about the matter within his political party. He also said that he did not know whether Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had held any meeting regarding the creation of new administrative units.
The defence minister’s comments came amid discussion about possible changes to Pakistan’s administrative structure. The idea of creating new provinces or administrative units has been discussed in the country for many years. Supporters believe that smaller administrative areas could improve governance and make government services more accessible to citizens.
Pakistan currently has four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Islamabad is a federal territory, while Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have their own administrative systems.
The demand for new provinces has appeared in different parts of the country. Some political groups and local communities believe that large provinces should be divided into smaller units. They argue that smaller units could help governments focus more closely on local problems.
However, the issue is also politically sensitive. Different political parties have different views about the creation of new provinces. Some groups support new administrative units, while others fear that such changes could create political disagreements or affect existing provincial structures.
Khawaja Asif said that the matter should be viewed as a national issue. His statement suggests that decisions about new provinces should not be based only on political interests. Instead, he indicated that the issue should be considered from the perspective of administration and the country’s wider needs.
He also appeared to support the idea of having a separate administrative setup for the federal capital. He said that similar systems can be found in many capitals around the world.
The minister, however, made it clear that he did not have detailed information about any current proposal. He also said that, as far as he knew, there had been no discussion on the issue within his party.
Khawaja Asif’s comments are important because the creation of new provinces is a major constitutional and political matter. Any major change to Pakistan’s provincial structure would require careful discussion among political parties and other stakeholders.
The question of new provinces is also connected with population growth, administration, development and the distribution of government resources. Supporters say that smaller provinces or administrative units could make decision-making easier and bring government closer to ordinary citizens.
Opponents, however, may raise concerns about costs, political representation, resources and the possible impact on the existing provincial system.
For now, Khawaja Asif has said that he has no confirmed information about a specific plan. He also said he was unaware of any meeting held by the prime minister on the matter.
His statement leaves the issue open for further political discussion. If a formal proposal is presented in the future, it would likely lead to debate in parliament and among political parties.
The debate over new provinces has been present in Pakistan for decades. Different regions have demanded greater political and administrative representation at different times. The main argument is whether smaller administrative units can provide better services and improve governance.
Khawaja Asif’s position is that the creation of provinces or administrative units should be treated as a national matter. In his view, there should not be unnecessary opposition simply because of political differences.
The issue could become more important if the government decides to formally examine changes to the country’s administrative structure. Any such decision would require broad political support, detailed planning and consideration of constitutional requirements.
For now, the defence minister has not confirmed any specific proposal. He has only stated that the matter is a national issue and that he is not aware of any official discussion or meeting about it within the government or his party.
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