Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab… Is Pakistan on the Verge of Another Partition? Experts Warn of Jinnah’s Dream Being at Risk

Islamabad: Pakistan, which witnessed its first major partition in 1971 leading to the creation of an independent Bangladesh, now faces renewed discussions about internal division—but this time not creating a new country. Instead, the focus is on reorganizing existing provinces into smaller administrative units.

According to Geo News, Pakistan’s Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan recently confirmed that new provinces “will definitely be created” to improve governance and service delivery. Currently, Pakistan has four provinces: Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan. Plans are underway to break these into twelve smaller provinces, with each major province potentially being split into three parts.

Political Backing and Opposition

Parties supporting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, including the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and MQM-P, favor the creation of new provinces, making this discussion particularly serious. Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which governs Sindh, opposes the plan, fearing a loss of political influence in the region. Last month, Sindh’s Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah warned that any attempt to divide Sindh into two or three provinces would not be tolerated.

Historical Context and Challenges

At the time of independence in 1947, Pakistan had five provinces, including East Bengal (now Bangladesh). After Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971, the remaining provinces were reorganized, with NWFP renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For decades, debates on creating additional provinces have surfaced, but past efforts—from Ayub Khan’s two-unit system to democratic reforms—have failed to resolve Pakistan’s governance issues.

Experts argue that the problem lies not in the number of provinces but in weak governance, law enforcement, and institutional inefficiencies. Senior bureaucrat and former police chief Syed Akhtar Ali Shah emphasizes that past experiments with administrative reorganization have consistently failed. Similarly, PILDAT chairman Ahmed Bilal Mehboob warns that creating new provinces could be politically contentious, economically expensive, and administratively complex, potentially further destabilizing Pakistan’s already fragile federal structure.

Implications for the Future

The push for new provinces comes at a time of heightened political instability. Provinces like Balochistan and KP have long-standing movements seeking greater autonomy, and the creation of smaller provinces could reignite regional tensions. Analysts warn that without addressing deeper governance issues, Pakistan risks further internal fragmentation, threatening national unity and reviving historical fears of division.