巴基斯坦探讨创建新省份能否改善治理

巴基斯坦政府正在推进一项行政改革计划。计划和发展部长阿赫桑·伊克巴尔提议创建12-15个新省份或设立160个赋权区政府1。内政部长穆罕默德·纳克维早在7月首次提出了行政"重置"理念，主张在公众支持下创建新行政单位1，国防部长卡瓦贾·阿西夫则呼吁加强权力下放1。

然而，这一改革方案在政策专家和经济学家中面临质疑。前财政部长兼经济学家米夫塔赫·伊斯梅尔指出："较小的省份不能替代赋权的地方政府"1。可持续发展政策研究所执行主任建议应评估新省份对本地税收和制度成本的影响1。此外，辛德省议会已反对在该省创建新省份或行政单位1。

目前巴基斯坦现有四个省份：旁遮普省、信德省、开伯尔-普什图省和俾路支省1。

Pakistan's government is weighing administrative reforms aimed at enhancing governance and service delivery across the country. Planning and Development Minister Ahsan Iqbal has proposed either creating 12-15 new provinces or establishing 160 empowered district governments as potential solutions 1. This proposal reflects broader efforts by government officials to restructure the country's administrative framework.

Interior Minister Muhammad Naqvi initially introduced the concept of an administrative "reset" in July, advocating for the creation of new administrative units with public backing 1. Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has similarly called for strengthening decentralization efforts 1. However, the governing coalition remains divided on the best approach to implementation, with disagreement over whether provincial expansion or district-level empowerment would prove more effective 1.

Skepticism about the proposed reforms persists among policy experts and economists. Former Finance Minister and economist Miftah Ismail contended that "smaller provinces cannot substitute for empowered local governments" 1. The Institute of Policy Studies' executive director emphasized the need to assess how new provinces would affect local tax collection and institutional costs before implementation 1. Additionally, the Sindh provincial assembly has already opposed creating new provinces or administrative units within the province 1. Pakistan currently comprises four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan 1.