# Divisions of Pakistan

The four provinces, a capital territory, and two administrative territories of Pakistan are subdivided into 38 administrative "divisions", which are further subdivided into districts, tehsils, and finally union councils. These divisions were abolished in 2000, but restored in 2008.
The divisions do not include the Islamabad Capital Territory or the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, which were counted at the same level as provinces, but in 2018, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas were subsumed into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and allocated to neighbouring divisions therein.

## History

* Division
* Punjabi: ڈویژن
* Balochi: ڈِوࢩژن
* Urdu: ڈویزن
* Pashto: څانګه‎
* Sindhi: ڊويزن‎
Administrative divisions had formed an integral tier of government from colonial times. The Governor's provinces of British India were subdivided into divisions, which were themselves subdivided into districts. At independence in 1947, the new nation of Pakistan comprised two wings – eastern and western, separated by India. Three of the provinces of Pakistan were subdivided into ten administrative divisions. The single province in the eastern wing, East Bengal, had four divisions – Chittagong, Dacca, Khulna and Rajshahi. The province of West Punjab had four divisions – Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi and Sargodha. The North-West Frontier Province (as it was then called) had two divisions – Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar. Most of the former Sind Province became Hyderabad Division. Most of the divisions were named after the divisional capitals, with some exceptions.
From 1955 to 1970, the One Unit policy meant that there were only two provinces – East and West Pakistan. East Pakistan had the same divisions as East Bengal had previously, but West Pakistan gradually gained seven new divisions to add to the original six. The Baluchistan States Union became Kalat Division, while the former Baluchistan Chief Commissioner's Province became Quetta Division. Princely State of Khairpur and with some parts of Hyderabad division were joining to form Khairpur Division. The former princely state of Bahawalpur became Bahawalpur Division, therefore joining West Punjab. The Federal Capital Territory was absorbed into West Pakistan in 1959 and in 1960 merged with the district of Las Bela to form the Karachi-Bela Division. In 1969, the princely states of Chitral, Dir and Swat were incorporated into West Pakistan as the division of Malakand with Saidu as the divisional headquarters. In 1975, Khairpur division abolished and replace it with Sukkur Division. In 1980, Sukkur division(Formally Khairpur division) was bifurcated to create Larkana division. In 1990, Mirpurkhas division created by bifurcation of Hyderabad division.
In 2000, Government abolished division system in the Sindh Province. On 11 July 2011, Sindh government restored division in the province.

## New Divisions

When West Pakistan was dissolved, the divisions were regrouped into four new provinces. Gradually over the late 1970s, new divisions were formed; Hazara and Kohat divisions were split from Peshawar Division; Gujranwala Division was formed from parts of Lahore and Rawalpindi divisions; Dera Ghazi Khan Division was split from Multan Division; Faisalabad Division was split from Sargodha Division; Sibi Division was formed from parts of Kalat and Quetta divisions; Lasbela District was transferred from Karachi Division to Kalat Division; Makran Division split from Kalat Division. The name of Khairpur Division was changed to Sukkur Division and Headquarters of Khairpur Division shifted from khairpur to Sukkur. Shaheed Benazirabad is also a new division in Sindh.
During the military rule of General Zia-ul-Haq, the Advisory Council of Islamize Ideology (headed by Justice Tanzilur Rahman) was tasked with finding ways to Islamic the country. One of its recommendations was that the existing four provinces should be dissolved and the twenty administrative divisions should become new provinces in a federal structure with greater devolution of power, but this proposal was never implemented.
In the recent past (i.e. in last three decades), Naseerabad Division was split from Sibi Division; Zhob Division was split from Quetta Division; Bannu Division was split from Dera Ismail Khan Division; Mardan Division was split from Peshawar Division; Larkana Division were split from Sukkur Division and Shaheed Benazirabad Division Mirpur Khas Division was split from Hyderabad Division. Sahiwal Division was formed from parts of Lahore and Multan Divisions while Sheikhupura Division was formed from Lahore and Faisalabad Divisions. The capital of Kalat Division was moved from Kalat to Khuzdar. Rakhshan Division is recently added to Balochistan comprising parts of Quetta and Kalat Divisions with capital at Kharan.
Recently in June 2021, Loralai Division was added to Balochistan, by splitting off from Zhob Division. Recently on 17 August 2022 Gujrat Division was added to Punjab. On January 14, 2023, Mianwali Division was added to Punjab.

## Abolition

In August 2000, local government reforms abolished the "Division" as an administrative tier and introduced a system of local government councils, with the first elections held in 2001. Following that there was radical restructuring of the local government system to implement "the principle of subsidiarity, whereby all functions that can be effectively performed at the local level are transferred to that level". This meant devolution of many functions, to districts and tehsils, which were previously handled at the provincial and divisional levels. At abolition, there were twenty-six divisions in Pakistan proper – five in Sindh, six in Balochistan, seven in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and eight in Punjab. Abolition did not affect the three divisions of Azad Kashmir, which form the second tier of government.

## Restoration

In 2008, after the public elections, the new government decided to restore the divisions of all provinces.
In Sindh after the lapse of the Local Governments Bodies term in 2010 the Divisional Commissioners system was to be restored.
In July 2011, following excessive violence in the city of Karachi and after the political split between the ruling PPP and the majority party in Sindh, the MQM and after the resignation of the MQM Governor of Sindh, PPP and the Govt. of Sindh decided to restore the commissioner system in the province. As a consequence, the five divisions of Sindh have been restored namely, Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Mirpurkhas and Larkana with their respective districts. One new division was added in Sindh, the Shaheed Benazirabad division.
Karachi district has been de-merged into its 5 original constituent districts namely Karachi East, Karachi West, Karachi Central, Karachi South and Malir. Korangi has been upgraded to the status of a sixth district of Karachi by splitting from Karachi East District. Recently Keamari District is formed by bifurcating Karachi West District. These seven districts form the Karachi Division now.

## Current divisions by administrative units

The following tables show the current total 38 divisions of Pakistan with 31 divisions by province i.e., 8 divisions of Balochistan, 7 divisions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, 10 divisions of Punjab, with their respective populations as of the 2023 Census of Pakistan, and the 6 divisions of Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and Islamabad division.

### Provinces
#### Balochistan

In Pakistan, the division is the administrative unit, which is higher in hierarchy than a district, but lower in hierarchy than a province.
| Division | Districts | Area | Population (2023) | Population Density (2023) | Literacy rate (2023) | Capital |
| Kalat Division | Awaran District Hub District Kalat District Khuzdar District Lasbela District Mastung District Surab District | 91,767 km$^2$ (35,431 sq mi) | 2,721,018 | 29.65/km$^2$ | 38.72% | Khuzdar |
| Loralai Division | Loralai District Barkhan District Musakhail District Duki District | 17,260 km$^2$ (6,660 sq mi) | 870,000 | 50.41/km$^2$ | 39.89% | Loralai |
| Zhob Division | Zhob District Killa Saifullah District Sherani District | 27,128 km$^2$ (10,474 sq mi) | 927,579 | 34.19/km$^2$ | 32.33% | Zhob |
| Makran Division | Gwadar District Kech District Panjgur District | 52,067 km$^2$ (20,103 sq mi) | 1,875,872 | 36.03/km$^2$ | 47.69% | Turbat |
| Naseerabad Division | Kachhi District Jaffarabad District Jhal Magsi District Nasirabad District Sohbatpur District Usta Muhammad District | 15,129 km$^2$ (5,841 sq mi) | 2,044,021 | 135.11/km$^2$ | 32.59% | Dera Murad Jamali |
| Quetta Division | Killa Abdullah District Karezat District Pishin District Quetta District Chaman District | 14,559 km$^2$ (5,621 sq mi) | 4,259,163 | 292.55/km$^2$ | 51.68% | Quetta |
| Rakhshan Division | Chagai District Washuk District Nushki District Kharan District | 98,596 km$^2$ (38,068 sq mi) | 1,040,001 | 10.55/km$^2$ | 36.84% | Kharan |
| Sibi Division | Sibi District Kohlu District Dera Bugti District Ziarat District Harnai District Lehri District | 30,684 km$^2$ (11,847 sq mi) | 1,156,748 | 37.70/km$^2$ | 34.70% | Sibi |

#### Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

In Pakistan, the division is the administrative unit which is higher than a district, but lower than a province. Divisions and are separated by color on the map.
| Division | Districts | Population (2023) | Area | Population Density (2023) | Literacy (2023) |
| Bannu Division | Bannu District Lakki Marwat District North Waziristan District | 3,092,078 | 9,975 km$^2$ (3,851 sq mi) | 309.98/km$^2$ | 42.11% |
| Dera Ismail Khan Division | Dera Ismail Khan District Upper South Waziristan District Lower South Waziristan District Tank District | 3,188,779 | 18,854 km$^2$ (7,280 sq mi) | 169.13/km$^2$ | 41.73% |
| Hazara Division | Abbottabad District Allai District Batagram District Haripur District Kolai-Palas District Lower Kohistan District Mansehra District Tor Ghar District Upper Kohistan District | 6,188,736 | 17,064 km$^2$ (6,588 sq mi) | 362.68/km$^2$ | 60.95% |
| Kohat Division | Hangu District Karak District Kohat District Kurram District Orakzai District | 3,752,436 | 12,377 km$^2$ (4,779 sq mi) | 303.18/km$^2$ | 50.89% |
| Malakand Division | Bajaur District Buner District Central Dir District Lower Chitral District Lower Dir District Malakand District Shangla District Swat District Upper Chitral District Upper Dir District | 9,959,399 | 31,162 km$^2$ (12,032 sq mi) | 319.6/km$^2$ | 47.51% |
| Mardan Division | Mardan District Swabi District | 4,639,498 | 3,175 km$^2$ (1,226 sq mi) | 1461.26/km$^2$ | 56.90% |
| Peshawar Division | Charsadda District Khyber District Mohmand District Nowshera District Peshawar District | 10,035,171 | 9,134 km$^2$ (3,527 sq mi) | 1098.66/km$^2$ | 51.32% |

#### Punjab

| Division | Population 2023 | Population 2017 | Population 1998 | Population 1981 | Population 1972 | Population 1961 | Population 1951 |
| Bahawalpur | 13,400,009 | 11,464,031 | 7,635,591 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Dera Ghazi Khan | 12,892,465 | 11,014,398 | 6,503,590 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Faisalabad | 16,228,526 | 14,177,081 | 9,885,685 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Gujranwala | 12,390,521 | 16,123,984 | 11,431,058 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Gujrat | 6,337,678 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Lahore | 22,772,710 | 19,581,281 | 8,694,620 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Multan | 14,085,102 | 12,265,161 | 8,447,557 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Rawalpindi | 10,804,250 | 10,007,821 | 6,659,528 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Sahiwal | 8,533,471 | 7,380,386 | 5,362,866 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Sargodha | 9,591,275 | 8,181,499 | 5,679,766 | ... | ... | ... | ... |

#### Sindh

| Name (English) | Name (Sindhi) | Headquarter | Districts | Area (km$^2$) | Population (2023) | Pop. Density (2023) | Literacy rate (2023) |
| Hyderabad Division | حيدرآباد | Hyderabad | Dadu District Hyderabad Jamshoro District Matiari District Tando Allahyar District Tando Muhammad Khan District Badin District Sujawal District Thatta District | 48,670 | 11,659,246 | 239.56/km$^2$ | 45.38% |
| Karachi Division | ڪراچي | Karachi | Central East South West Korangi Malir Kemari | 3,527 | 20,382,881 | 5,779.10/km$^2$ | 75.11% |
| Larkana Division | لاڙڪاڻو | Larkana | Jacobabad District Kashmore District Larkana District Qambar Shahdadkot District Shikarpur District | 15,213 | 7,093,706 | 466.29/km$^2$ | 44.53% |
| Mirpur Khas Division | ميرپورخاص | Mirpur Khas | Mirpur Khas District Tharparkar District Umerkot District | 28,170 | 4,619,624 | 153.99/km$^2$ | 40.41% |
| Shaheed Benazirabad Division | شهيد بينظير آباد | Nawabshah | Naushahro Feroze District Shaheed Benazir Abad District Sanghar District | 18,176 | 5,930,649 | 326.29/km$^2$ | 49.91% |
| Sukkur Division | سکر | Sukkur | Ghotki District Khairpur District Sukkur District | 27,158 | 6,010,041 | 221.30/km$^2$ | 49.72% |

### Administered territories

Divisions of Azad Jammu & Kashmir :
| Division | Area (km$^2$) | Population 1998 Census | Population 2017 Census | Population 2023 Census | Capital |
| Mirpur | 4,388 | 1,198,249 | 1,651,018 | N/A | Mirpur |
| Muzaffarabad | 6,117 | 745,733 | 1,072,150 | N/A | Muzaffarabad |
| Poonch | 2,792 | 1,028,541 | 1,322,198 | N/A | Rawalakot |
| Divisions of Gilgit-Baltistan ||||||
| Division | Area (km$^2$) | Population 1998 Census | Population 2017 Census | Population 2023 Census | Capital |
| Gilgit | - | N/A | N/A | N/A | Gilgit |
| Baltistan | - | N/A | N/A | N/A | Skardu |
| Diamer | - | N/A | N/A | N/A | Chilas |

## List of all divisions by population over the years

Data from 2023, 2017, 1998, 1981, 1972 censuses :
| Division | Pop. 2023 | Pop. 2017 | Pop. 1998 | Pop. 1981 | Pop. 1972 | Pop. 1961 | Pop. 1951 | Province |
| Islamabad | 2,363,863 | 2,006,572 | 805,235 | 340,286 | ... | ... | ... | Islamabad |
| Bahawalpur | 13,400,009 | 11,464,031 | 7,635,591 | 4,068,636 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Lahore | 22,772,710 | 19,398,081 | 12,015,649 | 7,183,097 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Dera Ghazi Khan | 12,892,465 | 11,014,398 | 6,503,590 | 3,746,837 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Faisalabad | 16,228,526 | 14,177,081 | 9,885,685 | 6,667,425 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Multan | 14,085,102 | 12,265,161 | 8,447,557 | 5,408,561 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Rawalpindi | 10,804,250 | 10,007,821 | 6,659,528 | 4,432,729 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Sargodha | 9,591,275 | 8,181,499 | 5,679,766 | 3,930,628 | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Sahiwal | 8,533,471 | 5,362,866 | 4,271,247 | ... | ... | ... | ... | Punjab |
| Gujranwala | 11,416,686 | 9,783,183 | 6,101,052 | 3,934,861 | 3,218,873 | 2,587,061 | 1,835,178 | Punjab |
| Gujrat | 7,362,182 | 6,337,678 | 4,685,773 | 3,264,764 | 2,713,675 | 1,872,505 | 1,626,496 | Punjab |
| Mirpur Khas | 4,619,624 | 4,228,683 | 2,585,417 | 1,501,882 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Hyderabad | 11,659,246 | 10,592,635 | 6,829,537 | 4,678,290 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Karachi | 20,382,881 | 16,051,521 | 9,856,318 | 5,437,984 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Larkana | 7,093,706 | 6,192,380 | 4,210,650 | 2,746,201 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Shaheed Benazirabad | 5,930,649 | 5,282,277 | 3,510,036 | 2,560,448 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Sukkur | 6,010,041 | 5,538,555 | 3,447,935 | 2,103,861 | ... | ... | ... | Sindh |
| Dera Ismail Khan | 3,188,779 | 2,019,017 | 1,091,211 | 635,494 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Bannu | 3,092,078 | 2,044,074 | 1,165,692 | 710,786 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Kohat | 3,752,436 | 2,218,971 | 1,307,969 | 758,772 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Hazara | 6,188,736 | 5,325,121 | 3,505,581 | 2,701,257 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Malakand | 9,959,399 | 7,514,694 | 4,262,700 | 2,466,767 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Mardan | 4,639,498 | 3,997,677 | 2,486,904 | 1,506,500 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Peshawar | 10,035,171 | 7,403,817 | 3,923,588 | 2,281,752 | ... | ... | ... | KPK |
| Kalat | 2,721,018 | 2,509,230 | 1,457,722 | 1,044,174 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Nasirabad | 2,044,021 | 591,144 | 1,076,708 | 699,669 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Makran | 1,875,872 | 1,489,015 | 832,753 | 652,602 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Quetta | 4,259,163 | 4,174,562 | 1,699,957 | 880,618 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Sibi | 1,156,748 | 1,038,010 | 630,901 | 305,768 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Zhob | 927,579 | 1,542,447 | 956,443 | 749,545 | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Loralai | 870,000 | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Rakhshan | 1,040,001 | 737,162 | 409,473 | ... | ... | ... | ... | Balochistan |
| Mirpur | ... | 1,651,018 | 1,198,249 | ... | ... | ... | ... | AJK |
| Muzaffarabad | ... | 1,072,150 | 745,733 | ... | ... | ... | ... | AJK |
| Poonch | ... | 1,322,198 | 1,028,541 | ... | ... | ... | ... | AJK |
| Gilgit | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Baltistan | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Diamer | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | Gilgit-Baltistan |

## List of all divisions by population, area, density, literacy rate etc.

List of the divisions by population, area, density, literacy rate etc. :
| Division | Population (2023) | Area (km$^2$) | Density/ (km$^2$) (2017) | Literacy rate (2023) | Capital | Province |
| Islamabad | 2,363,863 | 906 | 2214.76 | 83.97% | Islamabad | Islamabad |
| Dera Ismail Khan | 3,188,779 | 9,005 | 224.21 | 41.73% | Dera Ismail Khan | KPK |
| Bannu | 3,092,078 | 4,391 | 465.51 | 42.11% | Bannu | KPK |
| Kohat | 3,752,436 | 7,012 | 316.45 | 50.89% | Kohat | KPK |
| Hazara | 6,188,736 | 17,194 | 309.7 | 60.95% | Abbottabad | KPK |
| Malakand | 9,959,399 | 29,872 | 251.56 | 47.51% | Saidu | KPK |
| Mardan | 4,639,498 | 3,046 | 1312.43 | 56.90% | Mardan | KPK |
| Peshawar | 10,035,171 | 4,001 | 1850.49 | 51.32% | Peshawar | KPK |
| Dera Ghazi Khan | 12,892,465 | 38,778 | 284.04 | 48.00% | Dera Ghazi Khan | Punjab |
| Lahore | 22,772,710 | 11,727 | 1654.14 | 73.63% | Lahore | Punjab |
| Faisalabad | 16,228,526 | 17,917 | 791.26 | 68.80% | Faisalabad | Punjab |
| Bahawalpur | 13,400,009 | 45,588 | 251.47 | 52.13% | Bahawalpur | Punjab |
| Gujranwala | 11,416,686 | 7,779 | 937.11 | 76.41% | Gujranwala | Punjab |
| Gujrat | 7,362,182 | 9,438 | ... | 76.41% | Gujrat | Punjab |
| Multan | 14,085,102 | 17,935 | 683.87 | 59.43% | Multan | Punjab |
| Rawalpindi | 10,804,250 | 18,823 | 574.5 | 79.90% | Rawalpindi | Punjab |
| Sargodha | 9,591,275 | 26,360 | 310.38 | 63.19% | Sargodha | Punjab |
| Sahiwal | 8,533,471 | 10,302 | 520.57 | 61.02% | Sahiwal | Punjab |
| Karachi | 20,382,881 | 3,528 | 4549.75 | 75.11% | Karachi | Sindh |
| Mirpur Khas | 4,619,624 | 28,171 | 150.11 | 40.41% | Mirpur Khas | Sindh |
| Hyderabad | 11,659,246 | 64,963 | 163.06 | 45.38% | Hyderabad | Sindh |
| Larkana | 7,093,706 | 15,543 | 398.4 | 44.53% | Larkana | Sindh |
| Shaheed Benazirabad | 5,930,649 | 18,175 | 290.63 | 49.91% | Shaheed Benazirabad | Sindh |
| Sukkur | 6,010,041 | 34,752 | 159.37 | 49.72% | Sukkur | Sindh |
| Makran | 1,875,872 | 52,067 | 28.6 | 47.69% | Turbat | Balochistan |
| Nasirabad | 2,044,021 | 16,946 | 34.88 | 32.59% | Dera Murad Jamali | Balochistan |
| Quetta | 4,259,163 | 64,310 | 64.91 | 51.68% | Quetta | Balochistan |
| Kalat | 2,721,018 | 91,767 | 17.85 | 38.72% | Khuzdar | Balochistan |
| Sibi | 1,156,748 | 27,055 | 38.37 | 34.70% | Sibi | Balochistan |
| Rakhshan | 1,040,001 | 98,596 | ... | 36.84% | Kharan | Balochistan |
| Zhob | 927,579 | 27,128 | 34.2 | 32.33% | Zhob | Balochistan |
| Loralai | 870,000 | 17,260 | 50.4 | 39.89% | Loralai | Balochistan |
| Mirpur | ... | 4,388 | ... | ... | Mirpur | AJK |
| Muzaffarabad | ... | 6,117 | ... | ... | Muzaffarabad | AJK |
| Poonch | ... | 2,792 | ... | ... | Rawalakot | AJK |
| Gilgit | ... | ... | ... | ... | Gilgit | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Baltistan | ... | ... | ... | ... | Skardu | Gilgit-Baltistan |
| Diamer | ... | ... | ... | ... | Chilas | Gilgit-Baltistan |