Pakistan's latest debate over administrative restructuring offers an opportunity far more consequential than simply creating new provinces or redrawing boundaries. The real opportunity is to rethink how the state is organised, how authority is distributed and, above all, how government can be brought closer to the people. Political parties, policymakers and experts are increasingly calling for new administrative units, stronger local governments and greater fiscal devolution. The debate is rightly moving beyond geography towards governance, service delivery and institutional reform. The country does not necessarily need another layer of distant government. It needs more effective, empowered and democratically accountable centres of government closer to where people live.

One practical way forward is to transform suitable existing administrative divisions into Autonomous Administrative Regions/Units (AARs). Pakistan already has administrative divisions that can provide a natural starting point. Rather than creating entirely new bureaucracies, selected divisions could be progressively transformed into AARs based on population, geography, economic linkages, administrative convenience and local aspirations. The objective would not be to reproduce provincial governments on a smaller scale. An AAR would be a democratically governed regional development and service-delivery authority, with clearly defined responsibilities, its own budget, professional administration and elected leadership. AARs could become the missing link between provincial policy and local service delivery, allowing large provinces to remain intact while bringing political, administrative and economic decision-making substantially closer to their populations.

AARs must be elected institutions. Each AAR should have a directly elected regional council for a fixed 5-year term. The council could elect a regional chief executive, or the people could elect the chief executive directly. The region must derive its authority from the people. The council would approve the regional development plan, oversee regional departments, scrutinise expenditure and hold the regional executive accountable. Citizens should know exactly who is responsible for regional infrastructure, secondary healthcare, technical education, investment promotion, tourism, agriculture, transport and other assigned functions.

Districts and municipalities should likewise have directly elected governments with clearly defined responsibilities. Each level would have defined functions, resources and accountability. The federation should concentrate on responsibilities that genuinely require national scale: defence, foreign affairs, currency, macroeconomic policy, national taxation, strategic infrastructure, national energy policy and national standards.

Provinces should retain legislation, regulation, standards, provincial taxation, equalisation and overall oversight. AARs should focus on regional development and implementation. Their responsibilities could include regional economic planning, investment facilitation, industrial development, tourism, agriculture, regional roads and transport, secondary healthcare, technical and vocational education, skills development and major regional infrastructure. District governments should focus on frontline services including primary healthcare, schools, water and sanitation, local roads, social protection and citizen services, while municipal and tehsil governments handle daily local affairs.