Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi Calls for New Provinces as Governance System Claimed to Have Collapsed.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently suggested that Pakistan should create additional provinces to address what he describes as a collapsed governance system. He offered no explanation of what “collapse” meant or how new units would resolve the country’s problems. The idea was backed by a military spokesman who echoed the call for a “system reset” and the creation of new administrative units. Such proposals have surfaced repeatedly, but neither major political parties nor the public have taken them seriously. Political leaders have responded sharply. The Sindh chief minister of the ruling PPP, Murad Ali Shah, rejected the proposal outright. Awami Tehreek leaders accused Naqvi of advocating the division of Sindh, while other parties argued that an “illegitimate” government could not enact such changes. The Lahore High Court Bar Association condemned the proposal as unconstitutional. Its office‑bearers said those who had dismantled the existing order now wanted a new system. According to the constitution, changing provincial boundaries requires a resolution passed by a two‑thirds majority in the relevant provincial assembly, followed by a constitutional amendment adopted by a two‑thirds majority in both the National Assembly and the Senate. Naqvi’s position implied that the executive could do it without this process. The debate comes at a time when Khyber‑Pakhtunkhwa faces an active insurgency, Balochistan confronts mounting militant violence, and Azad Kashmir is experiencing widespread protests and civil unrest. Critics say connecting provincial boundaries to governance failures is a spurious link. Experts point to elite capture, political instability, and economic mismanagement as the real causes of Pakistan’s governance crisis. Prolonged instability, reliance on borrowing, failure to raise domestic revenue, and a preference for foreign engagement have all contributed. Elite interests continue to dominate the political landscape, hindering meaningful reform. While some argue that smaller administrative units could bring government closer to the people, the article notes that the same objective can be achieved by empowering local governments without altering the constitutional framework. Overall, the call for new provinces faces significant political, legal, and practical obstacles and is currently unlikely to progress. The piece was published in Dawn on August 10, 2026.