Districts of Pakistan

Pakistan is administratively divided into several tiers, with districts being the third level of governance beneath provinces and divisions. As of 2024, the country comprises 166 districts, including the federal capital territory and districts within Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. These districts are further subdivided into tehsils and union councils, forming the foundational units of local government.

Historical Development

• 1947: At independence, Pakistan had 124 districts.
• 1969: Two new districts, Tangail and Patuakhali, were established in East Pakistan, increasing the total to 126.
• 1971: Following the independence of Bangladesh, Pakistan’s district count reduced by 20, leaving 106 districts.
• 2001: The number temporarily decreased to 102 when Karachi’s five districts (Central, East, South, West, and Malir) were merged into a single Karachi District.
• 2004: The district count rose back to 106 with the creation of four new districts in Sindh: Umerkot (re-established), Kashmore, Qambar, and Jamshoro, carved from existing districts.
• 2005: Punjab province elevated Nankana Sahib from a tehsil to a district.
• 2011: Sindh restored Karachi’s five original districts.
• 2013: Korangi District was formed from Karachi East District.
• 2018: The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, converting former agencies into districts.

Administrative Structure

Deputy Commissioners

Each district is headed by a Deputy Commissioner (DC), who serves as the chief administrative officer. Appointed from the Pakistan Administrative Service, the DC is responsible for implementing governmental policies, maintaining law and order, and overseeing development initiatives within the district.

District Councils

District Councils, or Zila Councils, function as the local government bodies at the district level. Their responsibilities include:

• Constructing and maintaining infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
• Establishing and managing hospitals, dispensaries, and educational institutions.
• Providing essential services like sanitation, drinking water facilities, and public rest houses.
• Coordinating activities among various Union Councils within the district to ensure cohesive development.

Number of Districts by Province

According to the information provided in the search results, the total number of districts in Pakistan is 170, distributed across the provinces as follows:

Provinces Name	Total Districts
Punjab	42
Sindh	30
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	38
Balochistan	36
Gilgit-Baltistan	14
Azad Jammu & Kashmir	10

PUNJAB

Districts in Punjab

Punjab, the most populous and the second-largest province of Pakistan by area, is organized into 41 districts and 10 divisions as of January 2023. Below is a summary of the recent district developments in Punjab, along with the divisions and districts. Additionally, a comprehensive table presents each district’s name, its corresponding division, area, population.

List of districts in Punjab, Pakistan

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (2023)
1	Rawalpindi	Attock	6,858	2,170,423
2		Chakwal	6,524	1,734,854
3		Jhelum	3,587	1,382,308
4		Rawalpindi	5,286	6,118,911
5		Talagang	N/A	N/A
6		Murree	N/A	N/A
7	Bahawalpur	Bahawalnagar	8,878	3,550,342
8		Bahawalpur	24,830	4,284,964
9		Rahim Yar Khan	11,880	5,564,703
10	Mianwali	Bhakkar	8,153	1,957,470
11		Mianwali	5,840	1,798,268
12	Faisalabad	Chiniot	2,643	1,563,024
13		Faisalabad	5,856	9,075,819
14		Jhang	6,166	3,065,639
15		Toba Tek Singh	3,252	2,524,044
16	Dera Ghazi Khan	Dera Ghazi Khan	11,922	3,393,705
17		Layyah	6,289	2,102,386
18		Muzaffargarh	8,249	5,015,325
19		Rajanpur	12,319	2,381,049
20		Jampur	N/A	N/A
21		Taunsa	N/A	N/A
22		Kot Addu	N/A	N/A
23	Gujranwala	Gujranwala	3,622	5,959,750
24		Narowal	2,337	1,950,954
25		Sialkot	3,016	4,499,394
26		Wazirabad	N/A	N/A
27	Gujrat	Gujrat	3,192	3,219,375
28		Hafizabad	2,367	1,319,909
29		Mandi Bahauddin	2,673	1,829,486
30	Lahore	Kasur	3,995	4,084,286
31		Lahore	1,772	13,004,135
32		Nankana Sahib	2,216	1,634,871
33		Sheikhupura	3,744	4,049,418
34	Multan	Khanewal	4,349	3,364,077
35		Lodhran	2,778	1,928,299
36		Multan	3,720	5,362,305
37		Vehari	4,364	3,430,421
38	Sargodha	Khushab	6,511	1,501,089
39		Sargodha	5,854	4,334,448
40	Sahiwal	Okara	4,377	3,515,490
41		Pakpattan	2,724	2,136,170
42		Sahiwal	3,201	2,881,811

Sindh

Districts in Sindh

Sindh, a province in Pakistan, consists of 30 districts, which are further divided into 150 tehsils as of 2023. These districts are composed of 1,100 Union Councils and 66,923 human settlements, based on the 1998 census. Each district has its administrative center, commonly referred to as its capital.

In 2023, the Sindh government announced plans to rename four of the districts within the Karachi Division. East District will become Gulshan, West District will be renamed Orangi, South District will be simplified to Karachi, and Central District will become Nazimabad. The names of Malir, Keamari, and Korangi will remain unchanged.

List of all districts in Sindh

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (2023)
1	Hyderabad	Badin	6,858	1,947,081
2		Dadu	7,866	1,742,320
3		Hyderabad	993	2,432,540
4		Jamshoro	11,204	1,117,308
5		Matiari	1,417	849,383
6		Sujawal	8,785	839,292
7		Tando Allahyar	1,554	922,012
8		Tando Muhammad Khan	1,423	726,119
9		Thatta	8,570	1,083,191
10	Sukkur	Ghotki	6,083	1,772,609
11		Khairpur	15,910	2,597,535
12		Sukkur	5,165	1,639,897
13	Larkana	Jacobabad	2,698	1,174,097
14		Kashmore	2,580	1,233,957
15		Larkana	1,948	1,784,453
16		Qambar Shahdadkot	5,475	1,514,869
17		Shikarpur	2,512	1,386,330
18	Karachi	Karachi Central	69	3,822,325
19		Karachi East	139	3,921,742
20		Karachi South	122	2,329,764
21		Karachi West	370	2,679,380
22		Keamari	559	2,068,451
23		Korangi	108	3,128,971
24		Malir	2,160	2,432,248
25	Mirpur Khas	Mirpur Khas	2,925	1,681,386
26		Sanghar	10,728	2,308,465
27		Tharparkar	19,637	1,778,407
28		Umerkot	5,608	1,159,831
29	Shaheed Benazir Abad	Naushahro Feroze	2,945	1,777,082
30		Shaheed Benazirabad	4,502	1,845,102

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is the third most populous province of Pakistan, located in the northwestern region of the country. It is bordered by Afghanistan to the west, Punjab to the southeast, and the Islamabad Capital Territory to the northeast. Although it is the smallest of Pakistan’s four provinces in terms of area, covering approximately 101,741 square kilometers, KP plays a significant role in the country’s history, culture, and economy.

KP is administratively divided into 38 districts, which are further grouped into seven divisions. Each division serves as an administrative hub for the districts within its boundaries. The capital and largest city of KP is Peshawar, a historically significant city and a key hub of trade and culture in the region.

List of districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (2023)
1	Hazara	Abbottabad	1,967	1,419,072
2		Allai	N/A	N/A
3		Battagram	1,301	554,133
4		Haripur	1,725	1,174,783
5		Kolai Palas	1,410	280,162
6		Lower Kohistan	642	340,017
7		Mansehra	4,125	1,797,177
8		Torghar	454	200,445
9		Upper Kohistan	5,440	422,947
10	Malakand	Bajaur	1,290	1,287,960
11		Buner	1,865	1,016,869
12		Central Dir District	N/A	N/A
13		Lower Chitral	6,458	320,407
14		Lower Dir	1,583	1,650,183
15		Malakand	952	826,250
16		Shangla	1,586	891,252
17		Swat	5,337	2,687,384
18		Upper Chitral	8,392	195,528
19		Upper Dir	3,699	1,083,566
20	Bannu	Bannu	1,972	1,357,890
21		Lakki Marwat	3,296	1,040,856
22		North Waziristan	4,707	693,332
23	Dera Ismail Khan	Dera Ismail Khan	9,334	1,829,811
24		Tank	2,900	470,293
25		Upper South Waziristan	N/A	N/A
26		Lower South Waziristan	N/A	N/A
27	Kohat	Hangu	1,097	528,902
28		Karak	3,372	815,878
29		Kohat	2,991	1,234,661
30		Kurram	3,380	785,434
31		Orakzai	1,538	387,561
32	Mardan	Mardan	1,632	2,744,898
33		Swabi	1,543	1,894,600
34	Peshawar	Charsadda	996	1,835,504
35		Khyber	2,576	1,146,267
36		Mohmand	2,296	553,933
37		Nowshera	1,748	1,740,705
38		Peshawar	1,518	4,758,762

BALOCHISTAN

Districts of Balochistan

Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by area, covering approximately 347,190 square kilometers. The province is divided into 36 districts, which are grouped into eight administrative divisions: Quetta, Kalat, Sibi, Zhob, Nasirabad, Mekran, Loralai, and Kharan. Each division functions as an administrative and logistical center for the districts within its jurisdiction. Balochistan is known for its diverse landscapes, including rugged mountains, deserts, and coastal areas, as well as its rich cultural heritage and natural resources. The capital of Balochistan is Quetta, which is also the largest city in the province.

List of districts in Balochistan

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (2023)
1	Kalat	Awaran	29,510	178,958
2		Kalat	7,654	271,560
3		Khuzdar	35,380	997,214
4		Lasbela	15,153	680,977
5		Mastung	3,308	313,271
6		Surab	762	279,038
7		Ziarat	3,301	189,535
8	Loralai	Barkhan	3,514	210,249
9		Duki	4,233	205,044
10		Loralai	3,785	272,432
11		Musakhel	5,728	182,275
12	Rakhshan	Chagai	44,748	269,192
13		Kharan	14,958	260,352
14		Nushki	5,797	207,834
15		Washuk	33,093	302,623
16	Makran	Gwadar	12,637	305,160
17		Kech	22,539	1,060,931
18		Panjgur	16,891	509,781
19		Pishin	6,218	835,482
20	Sibi	Dera Bugti	10,160	355,274
21		Harnai	2,492	127,571
22		Kohlu	7,610	260,220
23		Sibi	7,121	224,148
24		Sohbatpur	802	240,106
25	Quetta	Chaman	1,341	466,218
26		Pishin	6,218	835,482
27		Quetta	3,447	2,595,492
28		Qila Abdullah	3,553	361,971
29	Nasirabad	Jafarabad	1,643	594,558
30		Jhal Magsi	3,615	203,368
31		Kachhi	5,682	442,674
32		Nasirabad	3,387	563,315
33		Usta Muhammad	N/A	N/A
34	Zhob	Qilla Saifullah	6,831	380,200
35		Sherani	4,310	191,687
36		Zhob	15,987	355,692

Gilgit-Baltistan

Districts of Gilgit-Baltistan

Gilgit-Baltistan, a region in northern Pakistan, is administratively divided into 14 districts. These districts are spread across three distinct divisions. The Baltistan Division comprises five districts, the Gilgit Division also consists of five districts, and the Diamer Division includes four districts.

In 2016, the administrative structure of Gilgit-Baltistan was reorganized, increasing the number of districts from seven to ten. This expansion involved the creation of two new districts in the Baltistan Valley and the division of the existing Hunza-Nagar district into two separate districts, Hunza and Nagar. By 2021, the region had a total of 14 districts, distributed as five in Baltistan Division, five in Gilgit Division, and four in Diamer Division.

Further changes occurred in 2019 when four new districts were established: Darel, Tangir, Gupis–Yasin, and Roundu. Each district in Gilgit-Baltistan is subdivided into smaller administrative units known as tehsils and union councils, which handle local governance and administrative functions.

List of districts in Gilgit-Baltistan

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (1998)
1	Baltistan Division	Ghanche	6,400	88,366
2		Skardu	15,000 (perhaps including next three)	214,848 (perhaps including next three)
3		Shigar	8,500	109,000
4		Kharmang	5,500	approx. 20,000 households
5		Roundu	8,500	109,000
6	Gilgit Division	Ghizer	9,635 (perhaps including the next)	120,218 (perhaps including the next)
7		Gupis–Yasin
8		Gilgit	3,800	243,324
9		Hunza	11,660	50,000
10		Nagar	5,000	51,837
11	Diamer Division	Astore	8,657	71,666
12		Diamer	10,936 (perhaps including the next two)	131,925 (perhaps including the next two)
13		Darel
14		Tangir

Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Districts of Azad Kashmir

Azad Kashmir, a dependent territory of Pakistan, is administratively organized into ten districts. Each district is further divided into tehsils, which are the basic units of local administration. Geographically, the northern districts of Azad Kashmir cover the lower regions of the Himalayas, offering a rugged and mountainous terrain.

These areas experience cooler temperatures and receive significant rainfall throughout the year. In contrast, the southern districts, which include Bhimber, Kotli, and Mirpur, have a notably hotter climate during the summer and a moderately cold winter. The region experiences rainfall during both the winter and summer seasons, with Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Kashmir, being one of the wettest areas in the territory.

List of Districts in Azad Kashmir

Sr. No.	Division	District	Area (km²)	Population (2017)
1	Muzaffarabad	Muzaffarabad	1,642	650,370
2		Hattian Bala	854	230,529
3		Neelum	3,621	191,251
4	Mirpur	Mirpur	1,010	456,200
5		Bhimber	1,516	420,624
6		Kotli	1,862	774,194
7	Poonch	Poonch	855	500,571
8		Bagh	770	371,919
9		Haveli	598	152,124
10		Sudhnati	569	297,584

Pakistan’s districts form the backbone of its administrative and governance structure, providing a framework for managing its diverse regions. With 169 districts across its provinces and territories, these divisions are crucial for local administration and development. Each district is unique in its geographic, cultural, and economic characteristics, from the mountainous areas of Gilgit-Baltistan to the coastal regions of Sindh. The districts are further subdivided into tehsils, ensuring effective management at the grassroots level.