Quetta split into two districts as Balochistan undergoes administrative restructuring

The Balochistan government has initiated a significant administrative overhaul, expanding the province's divisions from eight to 11 and its districts from 36 to 41. This restructuring, detailed in a July 8 notification from the Revenue Department, also involves realigning the boundaries of existing administrative units.

A key change is the division of Quetta district into East Quetta and West Quetta, bisected by the railway line. East Quetta now encompasses the Saddar, City, and Sariab sub-divisions. West Quetta includes Kuchlak and the newly established Brewery and Panjpai sub-divisions, with Brewery also designated as a new tehsil.

Mastung district has been detached from the Kalat division and incorporated into the Quetta division, which now comprises three districts. This move has drawn criticism from tribal chiefs and political figures in the Sarawan region, including senior politician Nawabzada Haji Lashkari Raisani. Raisani argued that altering Mastung's historical status violates the 1948 accession agreement between the Khan of Kalat and Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Further changes include the bifurcation of Kalat division into Khuzdar and Lasbela divisions. The Khuzdar division now includes Khuzdar, Kalat, Surab, and Wadh districts. The Lasbela division comprises Lasbela, Hub, and Awaran districts. A new Wadh district has been formed from parts of Khuzdar district, and District Shaheed Sikandarabad has been renamed Surab.

Other adjustments include renaming Upper Dera Bugti to North Dera Bugti and Lower Dera Bugti to South Dera Bugti. The spelling of Makran division has been altered to Makuran, and Sibi division and city have been "rectified" to Sevi. New sub-divisions have also been created in Gwadar district.