Pakistan has five provinces covering nearly 882,000 km², yet many countries with similar or smaller territories operate far more administrative units. These smaller units deliver stronger governance, faster development, and better resource distribution. Countries like India, Nigeria, Turkey, Indonesia, and Brazil successfully manage diversity and complex populations by dividing their land into multiple states or provinces.
For Sindh—one of Pakistan’s most diverse provinces—similar restructuring could significantly enhance governance, reduce inequalities, and ensure fair representation.
Why More Provinces (or Smaller Administrative Units) Can Help
- Stronger Governance and Faster Response
Large provinces like Punjab or Balochistan are difficult to manage from a central authority. Smaller regions allow local leadership to respond quickly to public needs, reduce bureaucracy, and address region-specific priorities.
- Fairer Resource Distribution
Smaller administrative units ensure that development funds reach every district. Remote or underdeveloped regions often get neglected under a centralized provincial setup.
- Better Political Representation
More provinces empower diverse cultural, linguistic, and tribal groups. Each region gets better representation in assemblies, resulting in stronger democratic participation.
- Region-Focused Development
Smaller provinces allow each region to target its strengths—such as agriculture, industry, fisheries, desert development, or major urban economies.
- Enhanced Social Cohesion
Administrative divisions can reduce ethnic or tribal tensions by giving local populations more ownership over their affairs.
Countries of Similar Area with More Administrative Units
| Country | Area | Units | Notes |
| Nigeria | 923,000 km² | 36 states + 1 FCT | Helps manage ethnic and regional diversity |
| Turkey | 783,000 km² | 81 provinces | Reduces regional inequality |
| France | 643,000 km² | 18 regions | Decentralization drives development |
| Mexico | 1,964,000 km² | 32 states | Local units handle key services |
| Indonesia | 1,905,000 km² | 38 provinces | Enables governance across remote islands |
These examples show that territorially comparable nations thrive when governance is decentralized.
Current Administrative Landscape of Sindh
Sindh covers 140,914 km² and is home to 30 districts, currently grouped into 5–6 divisions. Its geography is highly diverse, including urban hubs like Karachi, riverine belts along the Indus, fertile agricultural plains, desert regions, and a long coastline. This diversity creates unique challenges in governance, resource allocation, and service delivery. A single provincial government struggles to address the specific needs of each area effectively. Reorganizing Sindh into smaller administrative regions can help overcome these challenges.
New Proposed Structure (Three-Block Division)
Sindh can be reorganized into three major administrative provinces/regions, each representing shared geography, economy, culture, and development priorities.
🟥 Block 1 – “Southern & Coastal Sindh Province” (Red Region)
- Districts:
Karachi Central, - Korangi,
- Malir,
- Badin,
- Mirpurkhas,
- Tharparkar,
- Thatta,
- Umerkot
Population (2023): 15,482,000+
Key Features:
Key Features of the Proposed Reorganized Sindh
- Coastal Belt and Karachi-Adjacent Districts
This region includes districts along the Arabian Sea and those neighboring Karachi. It faces unique challenges such as port management, coastal erosion, and flood risk. Effective governance here requires specialized attention to maritime infrastructure, fisheries, and environmental protection. - Mega-Urban, Peri-Urban, and Coastal Challenges
Karachi, as a mega-city, deals with high population density, traffic congestion, waste management, housing shortages, and urban infrastructure needs. Surrounding peri-urban districts share spillover issues such as migration pressures, land use conflicts, and service delivery gaps. A focused administrative unit can plan and implement solutions tailored to these urban and semi-urban dynamics. - Desert Region (Tharparkar, Umerkot)
The desert districts of Tharparkar and Umerkot face extreme climatic conditions, sparse population, limited infrastructure, and livelihood challenges. Specialized administration in this region can prioritize water access, renewable energy projects, rural development, and health and education services tailored to desert communities. - High Need for Water Security, Coastal Protection, and Urban Governance
Across the province, each region has its own resource and governance priorities. Northern and central districts require irrigation and river management; the coastal belt demands coastal protection and port development; urban Karachi needs focused metropolitan governance. Regional administration ensures that these priorities are addressed efficiently and sustainably, reducing strain on the central provincial government.
🔵 Block 2 – “Central Sindh Province” (Blue Region)
Districts:
Jamshoro,
- Tando Allahyar,
- Hyderabad,
- Sanghar,
- Tando Muhammad Khan,
- Matiari,
- Nawabshah,
- Dadu,
- Karachi (East/West/South)
Population (2023): 1,618,568+
Key Features:
Industrial and Agricultural Mix
This region combines industrial zones with extensive agricultural lands, creating a diverse economic landscape. Efficient governance here can support both modern industries and traditional farming, ensuring balanced growth and employment opportunities.
Riverine Belt and Semi-Urban Districts
The riverine areas, particularly along the Indus, are fertile and densely populated. Semi-urban districts in this belt face challenges like irrigation management, flood control, and infrastructure development. Local administration can prioritize water management, rural connectivity, and agricultural support programs.
Hyderabad as a Strong Administrative Center
Hyderabad can serve as the administrative hub for the central region, leveraging its infrastructure, connectivity, and institutional capacity. A focused governance model here ensures smoother coordination between urban and rural areas, streamlining development and service delivery.
Great Potential for Industry, Education Hubs, and Mixed Economies
This region has untapped potential for industrial growth, educational institutions, and mixed economic development. Strategic planning can promote industrial clusters, vocational training centers, and education hubs, fostering employment and regional prosperity while balancing urban and rural development needs.
🟩 Block 3 – “Northern & Upper Sindh Province” (Green Region)
- Districts:
Larkana, - Khairpur,
- Naushahro Feroze,
- Sukkur,
- Ghotki,
- Qambar Shahdadkot,
- Shikarpur,
- Kashmore,
- Jacobabad
Population (2023): 14,000,812+
Key Features:
Agricultural Heartland of Sindh
This region forms the backbone of Sindh’s agriculture, producing major crops that feed both the province and the country. Focused regional governance can enhance crop management, market access, and rural livelihoods.
Indus River Irrigation Belt
The fertile Indus River belt supports extensive irrigation-based farming. Local administrations can prioritize water distribution, canal maintenance, and modern irrigation technologies to increase productivity and reduce wastage.
Interior Towns with Major Historical and Cultural Identities
Many interior towns in this area have rich historical and cultural significance, contributing to Sindh’s heritage and tourism potential. Region-specific governance can preserve cultural assets while promoting local tourism and economic development.
Needs for Agriculture Modernization, Irrigation Support, and Flood Management
The region faces challenges like outdated farming methods, insufficient irrigation infrastructure, and seasonal flooding. Tailored strategies for modernization, flood control, and sustainable water management are essential to protect farmers’ livelihoods and ensure food security.
Why Sindh Needs This Three-Province Structure
By grouping districts with shared characteristics, each new province can adopt policies tailored to local realities:
- Block 1 (South): Coastal infrastructure, Karachi-adjacent governance, desert livelihoods
- Block 2 (Center): Industry, mixed economy, urban-peri-urban synergy
- Block 3 (North): Agriculture, irrigation, flood resilience
This ensures balanced growth and reduces concentration of power and resources.
Expected Benefits of a Reorganized Sindh
- Localized Governance Close to the People
Reorganizing Sindh into smaller, region-based administrative units brings governance closer to the citizens. Local governments would have more authority to address specific community needs efficiently, reducing bureaucracy and ensuring faster decision-making. Residents would have easier access to policymakers and administrative offices.
- Fairer Distribution of Resources
A smaller administrative structure allows for equitable allocation of resources. Budgets, development projects, and public services can be tailored to the unique requirements of each region. Desert areas could receive additional water and irrigation support, coastal regions could prioritize ports and flood management, and agricultural zones could focus on enhancing farming and irrigation infrastructure.
- Stronger Political Representation
Smaller provinces or regions provide diverse populations—urban residents, rural communities, desert dwellers, and coastal fishermen—with a stronger voice in governance. Minority or underrepresented communities can influence decision-making, leading to inclusive policies and better representation at local and provincial levels.
- Specialized Economic Planning
Reorganized regions enable focused economic strategies. Northern Sindh could prioritize agriculture and irrigation, central Sindh could enhance industrial and mixed-economy initiatives, southern Sindh could focus on coastal and desert development, and Karachi could manage metropolitan challenges. Tailored economic policies allow for more effective regional growth.
- Faster Response to Disasters
Local administrations would be better equipped to handle natural disasters such as floods, storms, and droughts. With regional authorities closer to the ground, emergency response, relief measures, and resource mobilization can be faster and more efficient, minimizing damage and saving lives.
- Reduced Administrative Load on Karachi and Hyderabad
Delegating administrative responsibilities to regional governments reduces the burden on major urban centers like Karachi and Hyderabad. These cities can then concentrate on urban planning, infrastructure development, and metropolitan governance without being overstrained by province-wide management.
Challenges & Considerations (What to Watch Out For)
- Political Resistance
Restructuring Sindh into smaller provinces or regions may face pushback from entrenched political and bureaucratic elites. Local leaders who currently control large districts could fear losing influence, voter bases, and access to provincial resources. Building consensus through inclusive dialogue and transparent frameworks will be essential to overcome political hurdles.
- Complex Transition
Creating new administrative units involves establishing provincial governments, assemblies, bureaucracies, and legal frameworks. Clear planning is needed to ensure continuity of essential services, avoid disruption, and define reporting structures for newly created departments. Legislative adjustments may also be required to redefine constituencies and provincial jurisdictions.
- Fair Resource Division
Each new province must be economically sustainable, with sufficient revenue generation, development budgets, and access to public services. Proper planning is required to equitably distribute infrastructure, natural resources, and government funds, while ensuring less-developed regions are not marginalized.
- Avoiding Bureaucratic Expansion
While new administrative units are necessary, it is critical to avoid creating excessive government layers. Additional offices and reporting hierarchies must be streamlined to maintain efficiency, prevent duplication, and ensure clear lines of responsibility for service delivery.
- Inter-Province Coordination
Many challenges, such as water management of the Indus River, coastal protection, migration, and agriculture, cross provincial boundaries. Joint planning and coordination mechanisms will be essential to manage shared resources effectively and ensure balanced development across all regions.
Comparisons — Why Other Countries Do This & Succeed
Many countries around the world divide their territories into multiple sub-national units, such as states, provinces, or regions, to decentralize governance, manage diversity, and provide more effective localized development. For example, India, which has a land area similar to Pakistan, has 28 states and 8 union territories, allowing each region to focus on its unique cultural, economic, and geographical needs. Similarly, Brazil, with vast territories and diverse ecosystems, is divided into 26 states and a federal district, enabling tailored policies for urban, agricultural, and coastal zones. Sindh’s proposed structure mirrors these international models by breaking the province into smaller, more manageable regions.
Netherlands — small size but multiple administrative layers
Netherlands, a country with a total area of just about 37,391 km², is divided into 12 provinces and further into 342 municipalities, with additional specialized authorities for water management. Despite being far smaller than Sindh, the Netherlands demonstrates how smaller administrative units can allow tailored governance and efficient service delivery. Municipalities handle local civic services such as infrastructure, waste management, and urban planning, while provinces oversee regional planning and coordination. Specialized bodies, such as water districts, manage critical shared resources across municipalities. This multi-layered structure ensures that local priorities are addressed effectively, and decision-making is both faster and more accountable.
The Dutch model also illustrates the importance of decentralized resource allocation. Each province and municipality receive budgets aligned with its population, geography, and economic profile, allowing funds to be directed to areas with the most pressing needs. For example, coastal municipalities prioritize port infrastructure and marine management, while inland provinces focus on agriculture, environmental protection, or urban development. This targeted approach prevents inequitable distribution and helps maintain balanced development across regions.
Applying these lessons to Sindh suggests that creating smaller sub-provincial units could significantly improve governance. Each new region could share similar geography, urbanization levels, and socio-economic characteristics, making it easier to design policies, allocate resources, and implement development plans tailored to local needs. Additionally, smaller administrative units would enhance accountability, giving citizens better access to representatives and allowing governments to respond more effectively to crises like floods, coastal erosion, or urban overcrowding.
In conclusion, the experience of the Netherlands demonstrates that breaking a large, diverse region into smaller, specialized units can strengthen governance, improve service delivery, and ensure more equitable development. For Sindh, adopting a similar approach, while accounting for its much larger size and population, could enable better management of its urban-rural divide, economic diversity, and geographically varied regions.
Adopting a three-block administrative model can transform Sindh. Smaller provinces will allow efficient governance, equitable development, and stronger representation. Sindh’s diversity demands tailored policies, and this structure offers a practical roadmap for balanced regional growth and long-term stability.
