The Islamic Republic of Pakistan emerged as an independent State on 14 August 1947. It comprises four provinces: Punjab, Sindh, North West Frontier and Balochistan, besides the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Islamabad is the federal capital. Over 97 per cent of the country's population is Muslim.
Currently, the internationally recognized territory of Pakistan is subdivided into four provinces and two territories. In addition, the portion of Kashmir that is administered by the Pakistani government is divided into two separate administrative units.
In the 1960s, Pakistan was simply divided into two "units" of East Pakistan and West Pakistan. After East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh, West Pakistan reverted to a system with four provinces. The provinces consisted of subunits called "divisions", which were further subdivided into districts, tehsils, and villages or municipalities.
In August 2000, Pervez Musharraf's local government reforms abolished the "division" as an administrative tier. A system of local government councils was established, with the first elections being held in 2001. Since the 2001 Local Government Ordinances, Pakistan has embarked on a radical restructuring of the local government system. The government is implementing a devolution plan which, in its words, "follows the principle of subsidiarity, whereby all functions that can be effectively performed at the local level are transferred to that level. This has meant the decentralization to the districts and tehsils of many functions previously handled by the provincial governments."
The Kashmir dispute remains one of the largest and mostly highly militarized zones in the modern world, with portions under de-facto administration of the Peoples' Republic of China (Aksai Chin) of the Ladakh plateau; part of the wider Jammu and Kashmir state of N Pakistan; (Indian Occupied Kashmir Valley or Vale of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions) and Northern Pakistan itself. But recent discussions and confidence-building measures among the groups and major parties are beginning to defuse tensions; New Delhi does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China in the 1963 Agreement; disputes with Islamabad over the Indus river water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Indus Delta which is part of Rann of Kutch (Kachchh) as well as the issues of the Radcliffe line of the Punjab region of Ferozepur district on the banks of the Sutlej and Pathankot tehsil within Gurdaspur area on the banks of the Ravi, that prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh (Junagarh) and Manavadar territories in the Kathiawar peninsula as part of the country, whilst Indian maps show vice versa concerning the Kashmir boundaries of Pakistan, despite largely successful UN efforts at volantary repatriation, thousands of Afghan refugees continue to reside in Pakistan's tribal areas to control and secure the international border with Afghanistan to stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary enroachments.
There are 35 districts in Punjab, Pakistan.
Currently, the internationally recognized territory of Pakistan is subdivided into four provinces and two territories. In addition, the portion of Kashmir that is administered by the Pakistani government is divided into two separate administrative units.
History of Pakistan Subdivisions
In the 1960s, Pakistan was simply divided into two "units" of East Pakistan and West Pakistan. After East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh, West Pakistan reverted to a system with four provinces. The provinces consisted of subunits called "divisions", which were further subdivided into districts, tehsils, and villages or municipalities.
In August 2000, Pervez Musharraf's local government reforms abolished the "division" as an administrative tier. A system of local government councils was established, with the first elections being held in 2001. Since the 2001 Local Government Ordinances, Pakistan has embarked on a radical restructuring of the local government system. The government is implementing a devolution plan which, in its words, "follows the principle of subsidiarity, whereby all functions that can be effectively performed at the local level are transferred to that level. This has meant the decentralization to the districts and tehsils of many functions previously handled by the provincial governments."
Territorial issues
The Kashmir dispute remains one of the largest and mostly highly militarized zones in the modern world, with portions under de-facto administration of the Peoples' Republic of China (Aksai Chin) of the Ladakh plateau; part of the wider Jammu and Kashmir state of N Pakistan; (Indian Occupied Kashmir Valley or Vale of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions) and Northern Pakistan itself. But recent discussions and confidence-building measures among the groups and major parties are beginning to defuse tensions; New Delhi does not recognize Pakistan's ceding lands to China in the 1963 Agreement; disputes with Islamabad over the Indus river water sharing and the terminus of the Sir Creek Estuary at the mouth of the Indus Delta which is part of Rann of Kutch (Kachchh) as well as the issues of the Radcliffe line of the Punjab region of Ferozepur district on the banks of the Sutlej and Pathankot tehsil within Gurdaspur area on the banks of the Ravi, that prevents maritime boundary delimitation; Pakistani maps continue to show Junagadh (Junagarh) and Manavadar territories in the Kathiawar peninsula as part of the country, whilst Indian maps show vice versa concerning the Kashmir boundaries of Pakistan, despite largely successful UN efforts at volantary repatriation, thousands of Afghan refugees continue to reside in Pakistan's tribal areas to control and secure the international border with Afghanistan to stem organized terrorist and other illegal cross-border activities; regular meetings with Afghan coalition allies aim to resolve periodic claims of boundary enroachments.
Provinces & Districts of Pakistan
Provinces of Pakistan
- Balochistan
- North-West Frontier Province
- Punjab
- Sindh
Districts of Pakistan
Each Province is further divided into districts. There are 35 districts in Punjab, 23 in Sindh, 27 in Balochistan and 24 in NWFP.
Districts of Punjab, Pakistan
There are 35 districts in Punjab, Pakistan.- Attock
- Kasur
- Okara
- Bahawalnagar
- Khanewal
- Pakpattan
- Bahawalpur
- Khushab
- Rahim Yar Khan
- Bhakkar
- Lahore
- Rajanpur
- Chakwal
- Layyah
- Rawalpindi
- Dera Ghazi Khan
- Lodhran
- Sahiwal
- Faisalabad
- Mandi Bahauddin
- Sargodha
- Gujranwala
- Mianwali
- Sheikhupura
- Gujrat
- Multan
- Sialkot
- Hafizabad
- Muzaffargarh
- Toba Tek Singh
- Jhang
- Narowal
- Vehari
- Jhelum
- Nankana Sahib
Districts of Sindh, Pakistan
There are 23 districts in Sindh, Pakistan.- Karachi
- Khairpur
- Tando Muhammad Khan
- Larkano
- Noushehro Feroz
- Tando Allah Yaar
- Jacobabad
- Dadu
- Badin
- Shikarpur
- Nawabshah
- Thatto
- Qamber Shahdakot
- Jamshoro
- Mirpurkhas
- Sukkur
- Sanghar
- Umerkot
- Ghutki
- Matyari
- Tharparker
- Kashmor
- Hyderabad
Districts of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), Pakistan
There are 24 districts in NWFP.- Abbottabad
- Haripur
- Mardan
- Bannu
- Karak
- Nowshera
- Batagram
- Kohat
- Peshawar
- Buner
- Kohistan
- Shangla
- Charsadda
- Lakki Marwat
- Swabi
- Chitral
- Dir Lower
- Swat
- Dera Ismail Khan
- Malakand
- Tank
- Hangu
- Mansehra
- Dir Upper
Districts of Balochistan, Pakistan
Balochistan is divided into 27 Pakistani districts.- Awaran
- Kharan
- Nasirabad
- Barkhan
- Kohlu
- Nushki
- Bolan
- Khuzdar
- Panjgur
- Chagai Qilla
- Abdullah
- Pishin
- Dera Bugti
- Qilla Saifullah
- Quetta
- Gwadar
- Lasbela
- Sibi
- Jafarabad
- Loralai
- Turbat or Kech
- Jhal Magsi
- Mastung
- Zhob
- Kalat
- Musakhel
- Ziarat
