LAHORE: Republic Policy held the launch ceremony of its recently published book, Beyond Four Provinces: Why Pakistan Needs Federal Units, Not Administrative Units, at Al-Mawrid Society in Model Town, Lahore. Students, family members, friends and media representatives attended the event.
Addressing the gathering, the book’s author, Tariq Mahmood Awan, outlined its central argument, identifying federalism and governance as two major challenges facing Pakistan. He said the country’s development depended on addressing both issues, but stressed that they should be understood and approached separately.
Awan argued that cultural identity should be a primary consideration in the creation of federal units. In this context, he supported the establishment of new federal units such as Hazara and South Punjab. However, he cautioned against assuming that creating additional federal units would automatically improve governance.
According to the author, effective governance requires functional administrative units, local governments and city governments designed around population size and administrative needs.
The ceremony concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session with students. Responding to one question, Awan said it was unrealistic to expect a single civil servant to transform the existing system. Meaningful reform, he maintained, required attention to institutions and systemic structures rather than reliance on individuals.
Beyond Four Provinces is available for purchase. For further information and orders, contact Republic Policy on WhatsApp at 0341-4222501.
