Subdivisions of Pakistan
Encyclopedia
The administrative units of Pakistan consist of four province
s, one federal
capital territory
, and a group of federally-administered tribal
areas. Below this top tier, there are four more tiers of government including 27 divisions
, more than a hundred districts
(zillas), more than four hundred sub-districts called tehsil
s, and several thousand union council
s.
n territory. The eastern wing comprised the single province of East Bengal
which included the Sylhet District
from the former Indian province
of Assam
. The western wing was formed from three full provinces (Hazara (then NWFP), West Punjab
and Sind), one Chief Commissioner's Province (Baluchistan
), thirteen princely state
s and parts of Kashmir
. In 1948, the area around Karachi
was separated from Sind province to form the Federal Capital Territory
. In 1950 Hazara (then NWFP) province was expanded to include the small states of Amb
and Phulra and the name of West Punjab was changed to Punjab. The four princely states of southwest Pakistan formed the Baluchistan States Union
in 1952.
The One Unit policy in was enforced in 1955, whereby the provinces and princely states of the western wing were merged to form the new province of West Pakistan
with Lahore
as the provincial capital. Simultaneously East Bengal was renamed as East Pakistan
with Dhaka
as the provincial capital. In 1960 the federal capital was moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi
and then Islamabad
when it was completed, followed in 1961 by the merger of the Federal Capital Territory into West Pakistan.
The One Unit policy was intended to reduce expenditure and eliminate provincial prejudices, but the military coup of 1958 signaled difficulties when the first military President, Ayub Khan, abolished the office of Chief Minister of West Pakistan in favour of Governor's rule. West Pakistan was dissolved in 1970 by the second military President, Yahya Khan
, and four new provinces were created. East Pakistan became independent in December 1971 as the new country of Bangladesh
. In 1974 the last of the princely states (Hunza
and Nagar) were finally abolished and their territory merged with the Gilgit Agency
to form the Northern Areas (now known as Gilgit-Baltistan). The Federally Administered Tribal Areas were formed from parts of Hazara, districts of Peshawar
and Dera Ismail Khan
in 1975. The status of the Islamabad area was changed to a capital territory in 1981.
In August 2000 the "divisions" were abolished as part of a plan to restructure local government, followed by elections in 2001. Many of the functions previously handled by the provinces have been transferred to the districts and tehsils. In 2008, the new civilian government restored the former tier of "divisions" and appointed commissioners for each one.
The provinces are divided into 105 districts
called (zillahs) . Zillahs are further subdivided into sub-districts called tehsil
s (roughly equivalent to counties
). Tehsils are used in all provinces except in Sindh
province where the term taluka predominates. Tehsils may contain villages or municipalities. Pakistan has over five thousand local governments. Since 2001, these have been led by democratically elected local councils, each headed by a Nazim
(the word means "supervisor" in Urdu, but is sometimes translated as Mayor
). Women have been allotted a minimum of 33% seats in these councils; there is no upper limit to the number of women in these councils. Some districts, incorporating large metropolitan
areas, are called City District
. A City District may contain subdivisions called Towns and Union Councils.
The diagram below outlines the six tiers of government in Pakistan proper, together with an example; Lora is one of 16 union councils in Havelian tehsil, which in turn is one of two tehsils of Abbottabad district. This district is part of Hazara division which is a constituent of Hazara province, which is one of the four provinces of Pakistan:
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
s, one federal
Federal district
Federal districts are a type of administrative division of a federation, under the direct control of a federal government. They exist in various countries and states all over the world.-United States:...
capital territory
Capital territory
A capital territory is normally a specially designated territory where a country's seat of government is located. As such, in the federal model of government, no one state or territory takes pre-eminence because the capital lies within its borders...
, and a group of federally-administered tribal
Tribe
A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally, consists of a social group existing before the development of, or outside of, states.Many anthropologists use the term tribal society to refer to societies organized largely on the basis of kinship, especially corporate descent groups .Some theorists...
areas. Below this top tier, there are four more tiers of government including 27 divisions
Divisions of Pakistan
Divisions are the third tier of government in Pakistan, between the provinces and districts. They were abolished in 2000 by the government of former president Pervez Musharraf to make way for local governance via district governments...
, more than a hundred districts
Districts of Pakistan
The Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
(zillas), more than four hundred sub-districts called tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s, and several thousand union council
Union Councils of Pakistan
A sherwan or village council in Pakistan is an elected local government body consisting of 21 councillors, and headed by a nazim and a naib nazim...
s.
History
The administrative units derived from the administrative units inherited from British India. From independence in 1947 to 1971, Pakistan comprised two "wings" separated by 1600 kilometres of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n territory. The eastern wing comprised the single province of East Bengal
East Bengal
East Bengal was the name used during two periods in the 20th century for a territory that roughly corresponded to the modern state of Bangladesh. Both instances involved a violent partition of Bengal....
which included the Sylhet District
Sylhet District
The district of Sylhet consists 6754 mosques, 453 temples, 96 churches and four Buddhist temples.-Places of Interests:-Historical:#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Jalal#The Shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran#Shahi Eidgah#Gour Govinda Fort#Kean Bridge...
from the former Indian province
Provinces of India
Provinces of India, earlier Presidencies of British India, still earlier, Presidency towns, and collectively British India, were the administrative units of the territories of India under the tenancy or the sovereignty of either the East India Company or the British Crown between 1612 and...
of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
. The western wing was formed from three full provinces (Hazara (then NWFP), West Punjab
West Punjab
West Punjab was a province of Pakistan from 1947 to 1955. The province covered an area of 160,622 km², including much of the current Punjab province and the Islamabad Capital Territory, but excluding the former princely state of Bahawalpur. The capital was the city of Lahore and the province...
and Sind), one Chief Commissioner's Province (Baluchistan
Baluchistan (Chief Commissioners Province)
The Chief Commissioner's Province of Baluchistan was a province of British India located in the northern parts of the modern Balochistan province.- History :...
), thirteen princely state
Princely state
A Princely State was a nominally sovereign entitity of British rule in India that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule such as suzerainty or paramountcy.-British relationship with the Princely States:India under the British Raj ...
s and parts of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
. In 1948, the area around Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
was separated from Sind province to form the Federal Capital Territory
Federal Capital Territory (Pakistan)
The Federal Capital Territory around Karachi was the original capital territory of Pakistan. The FCT was created in 1948 from the city of Karachi and surrounding areas as the location for Pakistan's capital following independence...
. In 1950 Hazara (then NWFP) province was expanded to include the small states of Amb
Amb (princely state)
Amb was a princely state of the former British Indian Empire. In 1947, by the Indian Independence Act 1947, the British abandoned their supremacy, and following the Partition of India Amb's Nawab decided to give up his state's independence by acceding to the new country of Pakistan...
and Phulra and the name of West Punjab was changed to Punjab. The four princely states of southwest Pakistan formed the Baluchistan States Union
Baluchistan States Union
The Baluchistan States Union existed between 3 October 1952 and 14 October 1955 in southwest Pakistan. It was formed by the states of Kalat, Kharan, Las Bela and Makran with the capital at the town of Kalat. The area of the Union was roughly the western half of the modern province of Balochistan...
in 1952.
The One Unit policy in was enforced in 1955, whereby the provinces and princely states of the western wing were merged to form the new province of West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
with Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
as the provincial capital. Simultaneously East Bengal was renamed as East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
with Dhaka
Dhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
as the provincial capital. In 1960 the federal capital was moved from Karachi to Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
and then Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
when it was completed, followed in 1961 by the merger of the Federal Capital Territory into West Pakistan.
The One Unit policy was intended to reduce expenditure and eliminate provincial prejudices, but the military coup of 1958 signaled difficulties when the first military President, Ayub Khan, abolished the office of Chief Minister of West Pakistan in favour of Governor's rule. West Pakistan was dissolved in 1970 by the second military President, Yahya Khan
Yahya Khan
General Agha Mohammad Yahya Khan Qizilbash, H.Pk, HJ, S.Pk, psc was the third President of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971, following the resignation of Ayub Khan...
, and four new provinces were created. East Pakistan became independent in December 1971 as the new country of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
. In 1974 the last of the princely states (Hunza
Hunza (princely state)
Hunza was a princely state in the northernmost part of the Northern Areas of Pakistan until 1974. The state was also known as Kanjut. The state bordered the Gilgit Agency to the south, the former princely state of Nagar to the east, China, to the north and Afghanistan to the northwest. The state...
and Nagar) were finally abolished and their territory merged with the Gilgit Agency
Gilgit Agency
The Gilgit Agency was a political unit of British India, which administered the northern half of the Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Gilgit Agency was created in 1877 and was overseen by a political agent of the Governor-General of British India. The seat of the agent was Srinagar...
to form the Northern Areas (now known as Gilgit-Baltistan). The Federally Administered Tribal Areas were formed from parts of Hazara, districts of Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
and Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. It is situated on the west bank of the Indus River, west of Lahore and northwest of Multan. The city is the capital of the district and tehsil of the same name. In Pakistan, its name is often abbreviated to D. I...
in 1975. The status of the Islamabad area was changed to a capital territory in 1981.
In August 2000 the "divisions" were abolished as part of a plan to restructure local government, followed by elections in 2001. Many of the functions previously handled by the provinces have been transferred to the districts and tehsils. In 2008, the new civilian government restored the former tier of "divisions" and appointed commissioners for each one.
Structure of administrative units
Pakistan's administrative units are as follows:| No. | Administrative unit | Local name | Capital | Population | Area (km²) | Population density (inh. per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balochistan Balochistan (Pakistan) Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of... (province) |
Quetta Quetta is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the... |
4.8% | 39.3% | 18.9 | |
| 2 | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (province) | Peshawar Peshawar Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.... |
12.9% | 8.5% | 238.1 | |
| 3 | Punjab Punjab (Pakistan) Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the... (province) |
Lahore Lahore Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a... |
53.7% | 23.3% | 358.5 | |
| 4 | Sindh Sindh Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can... (province) |
Karachi Karachi Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million... |
22.2% | 16.0% | 216 | |
| 5 | Islamabad Capital Territory Islamabad Capital Territory The Islamabad Capital Territory is one of the two federal territories of Pakistan. It includes Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan, and covers an area of 1,165.5 km² of which 906 km² is Islamabad proper... |
Islamabad Islamabad Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011... |
0.6% | 0.1% | 888.8 | |
| 6 | Federally Administered Tribal Areas Federally Administered Tribal Areas The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs... |
Peshawar Peshawar Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.... |
2.3% | 3.1% | 116.7 | |
| 7 | Azad Kashmir Azad Kashmir Azad Jammu and Kashmir or Azad Kashmir for short, is the southernmost political entity within the Pakistani-administered part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir... |
Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers... |
2.2% | 1.5% | 223.6 | |
| 8 | Gilgit-Baltistan | Gilgit Gilgit Gilgit is a city in northern PakistanGilgit may refer to other terms related with the area of the city:* Gilgit River* Gilgit Valley* Gilgit District* Gilgit Agency * Gilgit Airport... |
1.3% | 8.2% | 24.8 | |
| Pakistan | Islamabad | 132,352,279 | 881,889 | 193.9 | ||
The provinces are divided into 105 districts
Districts of Pakistan
The Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
called (zillahs) . Zillahs are further subdivided into sub-districts called tehsil
Tehsil
A Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
s (roughly equivalent to counties
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
). Tehsils are used in all provinces except in Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
province where the term taluka predominates. Tehsils may contain villages or municipalities. Pakistan has over five thousand local governments. Since 2001, these have been led by democratically elected local councils, each headed by a Nazim
Nazim
A nazim is the coordinator of cities and towns in Pakistan. Nazim is the title in Urdu of the chief elected official of a local government in Pakistan, such as a district, tehsil, union council, or village council....
(the word means "supervisor" in Urdu, but is sometimes translated as Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
). Women have been allotted a minimum of 33% seats in these councils; there is no upper limit to the number of women in these councils. Some districts, incorporating large metropolitan
Metropolis
A metropolis is a very large city or urban area which is a significant economic, political and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections and communications...
areas, are called City District
City district
City district is a type of administrative division of Pakistan and Croatia.It is also the English translation of German Stadtbezirk and Swedish Stadsdel.-See also:*City Districts of Pakistan...
. A City District may contain subdivisions called Towns and Union Councils.
The diagram below outlines the six tiers of government in Pakistan proper, together with an example; Lora is one of 16 union councils in Havelian tehsil, which in turn is one of two tehsils of Abbottabad district. This district is part of Hazara division which is a constituent of Hazara province, which is one of the four provinces of Pakistan:
See also
- Divisions of PakistanDivisions of PakistanDivisions are the third tier of government in Pakistan, between the provinces and districts. They were abolished in 2000 by the government of former president Pervez Musharraf to make way for local governance via district governments...
- Local government in PakistanLocal government in PakistanThe 2001 Local Government Ordinance provides for devolution of government to district administrations. The 2001 Local Government Ordinance provides for devolution of government to district administrations. The 2001 Local Government Ordinance provides for devolution of government to district...
- Districts of PakistanDistricts of PakistanThe Districts of Pakistan are the second order administrative divisions of Pakistan. Districts were the third order of administrative divisions, below provinces and "divisions", until the reforms of August 2000, when "divisions" were abolished...
- Tehsils of PakistanTehsilA Tehsil or Tahsil/Tahasil , also known as Taluk and Mandal, is an administrative division of some country/countries of South Asia....
- Union councils of PakistanUnion Councils of PakistanA sherwan or village council in Pakistan is an elected local government body consisting of 21 councillors, and headed by a nazim and a naib nazim...
- Districts of Pakistan
- Pakistani subnational abbreviationsPakistani subnational abbreviationsPakistani subnational abbreviations are used by Pakistan Post, currently in code system of two or more capital letters to represent the Administrative units of Pakistan.- Current abbreviations :The sources of the current abbreviations vary...
- ISO 3166-2:PKISO 3166-2:PKISO 3166-2:PK is the entry for Pakistan in ISO 3166-2, part of the ISO 3166 standard published by the International Organization for Standardization , which defines codes for the names of the principal subdivisions of all countries coded in ISO 3166-1.Currently for Pakistan, ISO 3166-2 codes are...