Currently, the internationally recognized territory of Pakistan is subdivided into four provinces and two territories.

Local Governments

The provinces are divided into a total of 105 Zillahs () (districts). A zillah is further subdivided into tehsils () (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. There are over five thousand local governments in Pakistan. 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.

History

In the 1960s, Pakistan was simply divided into two "units" of East Pakistan and West Pakistan. Shortly before 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."

Provinces and territories

Provinces:

• Balochistan;
• North-West Frontier Province;
• Punjab;
• Sindh.

Territories:

5. Islamabad Capital Territory

6. Federally Administered Tribal Areas

   Pakistani Kashmir region:

   7. Azad Kashmir

   8. Federally Administered Northern Areas

See also

• Districts of Pakistan

External links

• Government of Azad Kashmir
• Government of Balochistan
• Government of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
• Government of the Islamabad Capital Territory
• Government of the Northern Areas
• Government of the North-West Frontier Province
• Government of the Punjab
• Government of the Sindh
• Decentralization Support Program
• National Reconstruction Bureau

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