Islamabad, Sep 11 — Pakistan has been going through a difficult situation as Punjab, which is the most populous province of the country, is not ready to give up its dominating power position. Punjab has remained the centre of power in Pakistan due to its colossal representation in the judiciary, bureaucracy, military and security agencies, a report has detailed.
"By referring to Punjab’s hold over power since the inception of Pakistan till today, it means the populous and prosperous region of central Punjab because of the marginalisation of its southern Saraiki belt which wants to seek provincial status but is denied by Lahore. What the Chief Minister of Punjab said the other day that the neighbours of Pakistan are not causing harm but it is Balochistan and KPK which hurts Punjab is a serious allegation," Moonis Ahmar mentioned in a report in The Friday Times.
More than 65 per cent of officers and soldiers in Pakistan's military hail from central and northern Punjab. Imbalance in the military's composition, backing Punjab, increases the sense of deprivation among other provinces of Pakistan. Furthermore, the representation of central Punjab in federal bureaucracy is sizeable, showcasing Punjab's dominance in the military and bureaucratic establishment in comparison to other provinces of Pakistan. Similarly, most of the judges in the superior judiciary come from Punjab, while industrialists and investors from Punjab dominate the corporate sector.
Power imbalance is also seen between Punjab and other provinces of Pakistan. According to critics, the central Punjab led by Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) wants to ensure that their region maintains dominance over Punjab, and it even expands to Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PML-N does not support the division of Punjab but is in favour of the division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh.
In June, a report highlighted that Punjab province, despite receiving the largest share of water under Pakistan's 1991 Water Apportionment Accord, continued to encroach on the allocations meant for other provinces, aided by its upstream advantage, a lack of transparency in water measurement, and weak enforcement of the accord.
Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab provinces have frequently clashed over water distribution, accusing the federal government in Islamabad of favouring the latter despite its access to water from five rivers in addition to the Indus. They view the issue as a longstanding failure of federal governance, according to a report in Athens-based 'Directus.'
"The water distribution problem has not remained limited to technical disagreements but has evolved into a profound political crisis, exposing deep mistrust between the federation and its provinces. Even though the water distribution problems have a historic background, the Cholistan Canal project of 2025 cemented the perceived sense of injustice. The anger is directed at the prosperous and politically influential province of Punjab. Other Indus-dependent provinces fear that their interests are being sacrificed as political power takes precedence over governance," the report detailed.
It noted that downstream provinces have grown increasingly concerned about the impact on agriculture, drinking water supplies, economic development, and the Indus Delta's ecological preservation as Pakistan's Indus River System Authority (IRSA) restricts southward water flows.
Sindh has accused IRSA of unfair distribution as the province is most dependent on Indus Water. According to the report, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced even greater challenges, with their grievances largely ignored. Balochistan has long complained of inequitable water distribution, delayed deliveries, and structural flaws in the water allocation formula.