Islamabad (Web Desk): Punjab Group Chairman Mian Aamir Mahmood has said that Pakistan’s present governance framework has deteriorated to such an extent that it cannot be reformed from within, arguing that the formation of new provinces has become a necessity.
Addressing a seminar on awareness organized by Association of Private Sector Universities of Pakistan (APSUP) at Riphah University Islamabad, he pointed out that nearly 25 million children in the country remain deprived of education, while studies show that seven out of ten students who reach grade seven are still unable to read a second-grade textbook.
Mian Amir noted that only a fraction—about one percent—of the youth make it to university, while 44 percent of children suffer from malnutrition, a situation he warned could leave future generations unfit to take part in national development.
The Punjab Group Chairman observed that while Pakistan has managed to strengthen its defense sector, the state has consistently failed in areas of public welfare and education.
Over the last eight decades, he said, political parties and leaderships have come and gone without producing real improvement, while nations that gained independence at the same time have already achieved, or are moving toward, high-income status.
attributed this failure to fragile institutions, weak governance, and misplaced political priorities.
Citing Punjab as an example, he said that with its population of 130 million, the province alone would rank among the seven or eight largest countries in the world.
He added that Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also remain deprived of proper facilities outside of their major cities.
By comparison, many countries with similar populations have more than thirty provinces or states to manage affairs more effectively.
As a solution, he suggested turning each administrative division in Pakistan into a province, headed by its own chief minister, to ensure delivery of essential services and creation of local employment.
He emphasized that the division of provinces would not reduce resources but would make their distribution more equitable.
Using Balochistan as an example, he argued that the province’s deprivation stems more from its own ruling class than from Punjab, and dividing it into multiple provinces would help balance resource allocation and development.
He underscored that young people must take the lead in this movement, calling them the true strength of the nation.
As per Mian, middle-class leadership can only emerge through smaller provinces that allow governments to remain closer to the people.
In larger provinces, he said, citizens’ voices often go unheard. He urged the younger generation to use social media platforms to push for new provinces and warned that without collective resolve, the nation would continue to remain bound by systemic failures.
Earlier, APSUP Chairman Professor Dr. Chaudhry Abdul Rehman also spoke at the seminar, stressing the need for a governance model inspired by the leadership of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
He praised Aamir Mehmood for his extensive contributions to the education sector, including the establishment of 400 colleges and three universities, and expressed hope that the creation of new provinces would bring about fresh leadership, new institutions, and meaningful progress for Pakistan.