LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has given in-principle approval to divide Lahore, the provincial capital, into two districts.
According to the Punjab government, significant progress has been made on the proposal, and the chief minister has approved the plan to split Lahore into two administrative units. A statement said the meeting decided that administrative restructuring of Lahore would begin immediately after Basant. The decision aims to reduce population pressure and administrative burden, with the goal of improving service delivery and governance through a new administrative setup.
It was decided that following the division, Lahore will have separate deputy commissioners, police, and municipal systems. Administrative boundaries will be redefined to ensure better provision of civic facilities, while traffic congestion, encroachments, and municipal issues were cited as key reasons making the new division unavoidable.
The Punjab government stated that Lahore’s large population necessitates the move, and dividing the city into two districts will help address public complaints more promptly. Relevant departments have been directed to complete preparations on the chief minister’s instructions.
Maryam Nawaz ordered that the process be completed promptly on administrative grounds and called another meeting on February 9 to review key steps. The division of Lahore was described as an important step toward urban governance reforms in the province.
The chief minister said that dividing Lahore into two districts has become essential for public convenience and better governance, adding that the move will make service delivery faster, more effective, and closer to the people. She emphasized that permanent solutions to traffic, encroachment, and municipal problems lie in administrative restructuring.
Maryam Nawaz clarified that the decision is purely administrative, not political, and noted that modern and effective governance models are being introduced for major cities across the province.
