Khawaja Asif Proposes Making Karachi and Gwadar Part of the Federation, Not Provinces

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has proposed that Karachi and Gwadar should be administered directly by the federation rather than remain under provincial governments, describing the suggestion as his personal opinion while calling for broader governance reforms in Pakistan.

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Speaking on ARY News, Asif said discussions on creating new administrative units have been ongoing for years and that he has participated in seminars on the subject. He stressed the need for a strong local government system, citing the United Kingdom as an example where local governments perform many administrative functions and serve as a training ground for political leadership. He also noted that local government elections have yet to be held in Punjab.

The defence minister said no province should be formed on ethnic or linguistic grounds, warning that doing so would open a “Pandora’s box.” Instead, he advocated creating administrative units based on governance and future development needs. As examples, he suggested that regions such as Dera Ghazi Khan and Sialkot could be reorganized into new administrative units to create a system capable of meeting the country’s needs over the next 50 years.

Asif further claimed that Pakistan’s next general election could be held under a new administrative framework, saying key decisions may be taken within the next two to three months. He argued that a “hybrid system,” supported by a strong local government structure and the creation of new provinces or administrative units, could bring lasting political stability and institutional reforms. He added that, if there is political will, significant changes to the governance system could be implemented before the next elections.

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