Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal has renewed his call for new provinces, saying Pakistan needs greater administrative decentralisation as its population continues to grow. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Pak Pharma Healthcare Expo, Kamal said around 1,300 children die every day from malnutrition in Pakistan. He described the figure as a major challenge for the country’s healthcare system. Kamal also highlighted progress in the pharmaceutical sector. He said medicine exports increased by 38 per cent last year, while companies linked to Pakistan’s healthcare industry continued to expand. The minister said government support remains essential for industrial growth. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the federal government were supporting the pharmaceutical industry through relief measures. Intel Chipmaker plans $15bn share sale to fund manufacturing expansion Kamal said the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) had completed about 85 per cent of its digital transformation. He said the move would help reduce corruption and improve oversight within DRAP and other relevant institutions. He added that a new regulatory system would come into effect on October 9. The system, he said, would introduce stronger checks and balances for medicines. The minister also pointed to a shortage of drug inspectors. Only 22 inspectors currently serve a population of nearly 250 million, he said, describing the situation as a serious regulatory challenge. Kamal then renewed his demand for the creation of additional provinces. He argued that Pakistan’s administrative structure had not kept pace with population growth. He said Pakistan had a population of around 35 million at independence and four provinces. The population has since grown to about 265 million, while the number of provinces remains unchanged. According to Kamal, creating more provinces would not weaken Pakistan. Instead, he said, greater administrative division could strengthen governance and improve public services. The federal minister also welcomed defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye. He credited Field Marshal Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar for the progress. Kamal further alleged that some elements were attempting to damage the reputation of the Pakistan Army through a deliberate campaign. He said Pakistan had defeated a military force six times larger than itself under Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership. Post navigation AJK Polls Re-polling ordered at 23 stations in two Bagh constituencies
