Overview
- The 2023 census showed Pakistan has about 241.49 million people and that Punjab contains roughly 127.7 million, a gap that has sharpened calls to create new provinces or alter boundaries to reduce administrative distance.
- Changing provincial borders requires a high bar under Article 239 of the Constitution, which needs two-thirds majorities in both houses of Parliament and two-thirds approval in any affected provincial assembly.
- Political parties are divided along partisan lines because new units would shift seats, revenue shares and patronage, so support tends to follow where parties see electoral or material gain.
- Critics warn that new provinces alone will not fix poor services or injustice unless reforms strengthen judicial independence, electoral fairness, local governments and accountability.
- Commentators recommend transparent feasibility studies, public hearings, published viability tests and possible local referendums to ensure lean administrations, protect major economic hubs like Karachi, and secure public consent.