In a major administrative shake-up, the Balochistan government has redrawn the province’s internal boundaries, lifting the divisional count from eight to 11 and adding five new districts to bring the total to 41. The move was formalized through a Revenue Department notification dated July 8, representing one of the most far-reaching restructurings the province has seen in recent years.
Quetta Split, New Territorial Lines Drawn
Among the most notable changes, Quetta district has been partitioned into East Quetta and West Quetta, with the railway line serving as the dividing boundary, while Mastung now falls under Quetta’s administrative umbrella. Meanwhile, the erstwhile Kalat division has ceased to exist, giving way to two newly formed divisions Khuzdar and Lasbela with Wadh simultaneously granted independent district status. The reshuffle further introduced Pishin and Koh-e-Suleman as fresh divisions, alongside a wider realignment of various tehsils and sub-divisions province-wide.
A Shift in Spelling Conventions
The notification also revises how two prominent regions will appear in official English usage going forward: Makran becomes “Makuran,” while Sibi will now be written as “Sevi.”
Rationale: Governance Closer to the People
Officials describe the restructuring as a deliberate push toward decentralized administration, with the broader goal of improving governance standards and streamlining public-service access across the province.
Grounded in Legal Procedure
The reforms were cleared by the provincial cabinet beforehand and have since been formally notified under Sections 5, 6, and 6-A of the Balochistan Land Revenue Act, 1967, lending the changes their legal footing.
Read More Articles:
China, Australia Ink $50 Million Seafood Park Deal for Gwadar Free Zone
