NOT MERELY FOR REPRESENTATION, BUT FOR SURVIVAL
The province of Sindh, whose population has been recorded at over 55.7 million according to the 2023 census, continues to be governed through an outdated administrative framework. Only 30 districts have been designated to manage this vast population—many of which are burdened with more than 2 million residents each. As a result, a state of governance paralysis has been entrenched, one that cannot be resolved through budgetary increases or bureaucratic expansion alone. A fundamental redrawing of the administrative map has become imperative.
THE PROPOSED REMEDY
It has been proposed that Sindh be reorganized into 61 districts, each comprising a population between 900,000 and 1 million. These districts would be aligned with the province’s 61 National Assembly seats, thereby establishing a one-to-one correspondence between electoral constituencies and administrative units. This alignment is not a mere exercise in electoral arithmetic—it is a structural blueprint for responsive governance, equitable resource distribution, and the restoration of civic dignity.
KARACHI: A MEGACITY IN ADMINISTRATIVE DENIAL
Karachi, which accommodates over 20 million residents, has been segmented into only seven districts: East, Central, Korangi, West, Malir, South, and Keamari. Each of these districts is tasked with managing populations ranging from 2 to 4 million, rendering them administratively unmanageable. The consequences have been felt in the form of overwhelmed healthcare systems, dysfunctional transportation networks, and municipal stagnation.
Under the proposed model, Karachi would be reorganized into 23 distinct districts, each named in accordance with its cultural, geographic, or historical identity—such as Gulshan, Lyari, Shah Faisal, Surjani, Clifton, and others. Through this restructuring, localized planning would be enabled, accountability would be enhanced, and a renewed sense of civic ownership would be fostered—an element that has long been absent from Karachi’s governance.
INTERIOR SINDH: THE SILENCED MAJORITY
Inland districts such as Khairpur, Sanghar, Badin, and Tharparkar currently house populations exceeding 1.7 to 2.4 million, yet they remain administratively unified. This has resulted in skewed resource allocation, inadequate disaster response mechanisms, and widespread political alienation.
It has been recommended that these districts be subdivided into smaller, culturally coherent units—such as Gambat, Shahdadpur, Talhar, Islamkot, and Matli—so that governance may be localized and every community may be granted meaningful representation.
WHY 61 DISTRICTS?
Sindh has already been allocated 61 seats in the National Assembly. By aligning each seat with a district of approximately 0.9 to 1 million residents, a transparent and equitable system would be established. This would simplify constituency boundaries, strengthen local governance, and ensure that no citizen remains administratively invisible.
Moreover, this model would honor the province’s linguistic, cultural, and geographic diversity, allowing districts to reflect real communities rather than arbitrary census blocks.
PROPOSED 61 DISTRICTS OF SINDH
District Name Estimated Population
Gulshan Iqbal 0.91M
Jamshed 0.92M
Shah Faisal 0.93M
Landhi 0.94M
Korangi 0.95M
Nazimabad 0.91M
Liaquatabad 0.92M
North Karachi 0.93M
Orangi 0.94M
Baldia 0.95M
SITE 0.91M
Manghopir 0.92M
Malir 0.93M
Shah Latif 0.94M
Bin Qasim 0.95M
Clifton 0.91M
Saddar 0.92M
Lyari 0.93M
Keamari 0.94M
Machhar 0.95M
Gulberg 0.91M
Garden 0.92M
Surjani 0.93M
Hyderabad 0.91M
Latifabad 0.92M
Qasimabad 0.93M
Tando Jam 0.94M
Sukkur 0.95M
Rohri 0.91M
Khairpur 0.92M
Gambat 0.93M
Ghotki 0.94M
Mathelo 0.95M
Larkana 0.91M
Ratodero 0.92M
Shahdadkot 0.93M
Qubo Saeed Khan 0.94M
Shikarpur 0.95M
Jacobabad 0.91M
Mirpurkhas 0.92M
Sindhri 0.93M
Umerkot 0.94M
Mithi 0.95M
Islamkot 0.91M
Nawabshah 0.92M
Daur 0.93M
Sanghar 0.94M
Shahdadpur 0.95M
Moro 0.91M
Kandiaro 0.92M
Tando Allahyar 0.93M
Tando Muhammad Khan 0.94M
Matiari 0.95M
Sehwan 0.91M
Kotri 0.92M
Dadu 0.93M
Thatta 0.94M
Sakro 0.95M
Sujawal 0.91M
Badin 0.92M
Talhar 0.93M
Matli 0.94M
THE PATH FORWARD
Redistricting must not be viewed as a mere cartographic adjustment—it must be embraced as a political commitment to fairness, functionality, and federalism. For this transformation to be realized, the following steps must be undertaken:
• Legislative action by the Sindh Assembly
• Public consultation to mitigate ethnic or political backlash
• Transparent criteria for district formation
Sindh cannot be governed as though it were a province of 15 million. If survival and prosperity are to be ensured, the administrative map must evolve in tandem with the people it serves.
REFERENCES
1. Pakistan Bureau of Statistics – 2023 Digital Census https://www.pbs.gov.pk/sites/default/files/population/2023/Sindh.pdf → Official district-wise population data for Sindh
2. Election Commission of Pakistan – National Assembly Seats Allocation (2024) https://www.ecp.gov.pk → Sindh has 61 National Assembly seats, forming the basis for one district per seat
3. Council of Common Interests (CCI) Approval – Census Ratification (August 2023) → CCI formally approved the 2023 census, making it the basis for electoral delimitation
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