The debate over creating more provinces and administrative units in Pakistan has once again gained momentum. While there may be valid arguments in favor of smaller administrative units, the real question is whether merely dividing the country into more provinces will actually improve governance. Our experience suggests that the problem lies less in the size of the province and more in the functioning of the administrative system itself. During the tenure of General Zia-up-Haq, people approached him with complaints about corruption in almost all government, semi-government organizations and corporations. They requested that strict and exemplary action be taken against those involved in corrupt practices so that citizens could get their legitimate work done without having to pay bribes. A similar complaint had earlier been made to President General Ayub Khan regarding problems faced by people, including serving soldiers, which often remained unnoticed by the administration. I distinctly remember that in 1964, when I was posted in Bahawalpur, a letter from General Ayub Khan was circulated among Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners directing them to ensure that public grievances, and particularly the problems of serving soldiers, were accorded priority. These instructions were followed in letter and spirit. As a young officer, I once visited the Deputy Commissioner’s office and sent in my chit requesting an appointment. Within a minute or so, I was called in and received full courtesy. The DC ordered a cup of tea, went through my application, passed the necessary orders and even told me that I could telephone him whenever I needed assistance instead of coming to his office. This was administration with a sense of responsibility, accessibility and respect for the citizen.
Unfortunately, instead of tightening the existing administrative machinery and holding officials accountable, General Zia-ul-Haq, reportedly after consultation with his “kitchen cabinet”, created the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib to redress public grievances. The office was soon flooded with complaints from all over Pakistan. Rather than fixing the departments responsible for those grievances, another institution was created to deal with the consequences. As the number of complaints increased, Provincial Mohtasib offices were subsequently established. Over time, more specialized ombudsman institutions appeared, dealing with taxation, insurance, banking and women’s complaints, along with a large number of regional offices. The result has been the creation of an ever-expanding administrative structure, with substantial expenditure on offices, staff, vehicles and other facilities. Yet the fundamental question remains: have these additional institutions reduced public grievances? The answer is difficult to find in their numbers. Complaints continue to run into millions, while ordinary citizens still face delays, red tape and, in many cases, demands for illegal gratification. If the creation of institution after institution was the solution, Pakistan should by now have one of the most efficient systems of governance in the world. This experience provides an important lesson for those demanding more provinces. The solution does not necessarily lie in creating more provinces; it lies in revamping and correcting the existing system. Creating a new province means another Governor, Chief Minister, Cabinet, Assembly, Secretariat, bureaucracy, residences, vehicles, security arrangements and countless administrative expenses. Can a financially constrained country afford to multiply these structures without first demonstrating that they will actually improve governance? At the same time, the demand for more provinces cannot simply be dismissed. There is a genuine political and administrative argument behind it. Punjab’s dominance in the National Assembly is an important factor because the province has 141 general seats and 32 reserved seats for women, making a total of 173 seats out of 342 seats. Consequently, whoever commands Punjab has a major advantage in forming the federal government. This creates a perception, and often a political reality, that the interests of smaller provinces are comparatively disadvantaged. However, there may be a better way of addressing this imbalance without immediately creating additional provinces. The allocation of representation in the National Assembly could be reconsidered, drawing inspiration from the Senate, where provinces have equal representation irrespective of population. A carefully designed system could ensure that smaller provinces have a stronger voice in national decision-making while preserving the existing provincial structure.
Equally important is the need to reduce the cost of administration. We cannot continue creating layers of bureaucracy and providing senior officials with expensive vehicles and other privileges when the country is struggling financially. There is no justification for every officer having a large official vehicle. Except for Commissioners and officers whose duties genuinely require larger vehicles, lower-level officers could be provided economical Suzuki cars, as was practically demonstrated during the tenure of former Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.The real reform, therefore, should begin with accountability, accessibility, decentralization and economy in administration. A citizen should not have to travel from one office to another, approach an Ombudsman, file repeated complaints or pay a bribe simply to obtain a service that is his legitimate right. The administration should be brought closer to the people, officials should be made personally accountable for unnecessary delays, and government departments should be judged by the quality and speed of service they provide-not by the number of offices they operate.
Pakistan does not suffer from a shortage of provinces, departments, institutions or officials; it suffers from a shortage of effective governance and accountability. Before drawing new lines on the map, we must first correct the system within the existing boundaries. More provinces may offer political and administrative advantages, but they should not become an excuse for creating more posts, offices and expenditure. What Pakistan urgently needs is a lean, responsive and accountable administration where a citizen can get his legitimate work done without influence, bribery or repeated visits. If the existing machinery is made to work honestly and efficiently, the debate over more provinces will become a question of genuine administrative necessity rather than a substitute for fixing a broken system. Experience has shown that creating more organizations and administrative bodies has often compounded the problems rather than resolving them.Instead of reducing public complaints, the proliferation of departments has created additional layers of bureaucracy, making it even more difficult for ordinary citizens to have their genuine grievances addressed promptly
