Neither individual nor party can stop new administrative units: Mohsin Naqvi

LAHORE: Addressing a national policy dialogue in Lahore, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, “Whether I stay in my job or not, I will not step back. One month and five days ago I spoke about resetting our system. Some took my remarks as aimed at the present government and some at the political system. I was not pointing at any particular political party.”

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said that when a company is not running well, everyone sits down together to improve it. He said that if the country has not achieved results in 79 years, the system must be reset. He added that every citizen must have basic necessities.

Mohsin Naqvi said that today a child in Class 5 cannot read even simple sentences. He said a reset in no way means breaking the system. It means correcting what is wrong. He said the administrative structure must be improved within the Constitution, and the system must be bettered according to the wishes of the people.

He said that if the people favour administrative units, they must be created by all means. He said the opinion of the people must be respected. He requested that the decision on administrative units be left to the people.

He added that Pakistan has become the fifth most populous country in the world. He said the system should be restructured after 79 years and that everyone must accept that a reset is needed. He said, “We are ready to create tehsils and divisions, but when it comes to administrative units, they say these should not be created.”

Mohsin Naqvi said everyone objects when it comes to transferring power to the lowest level. He said that in 79 years, 25 million children still could not be sent to school. Today 55 per cent of Pakistanis do not get clean water. Two million cases are pending in the courts, and people are still being pushed around in the courts.

He said parents are still seen waiting for their children’s health and treatment. Young people today speak of jobs and opportunities. He said, “I am the biggest supporter of provincehood for Islamabad. The citizens of Islamabad are not getting even one rupee from the NFC. The CDA is running the city by selling its own lands. Are the citizens of Islamabad not the people of Pakistan?”

He said that if Islamabad is becoming a province, everyone should join in welcoming it. He said whoever comes forward as mayor can run a better government. He said, “Whatever they may do, people like Mamdani and Sadiq Khan will now come.” He said that emotional speeches are being made these days about new administrative units, but this is not something that is going to happen tomorrow or the day after.

The Interior Minister said that the opinion of the people matters more than that of anyone else in this. He requested people not to get emotional about new administrative units. He said that if the people wish, administrative units should be allowed to be formed. He said the people are the biggest stakeholders in the matter of new provinces.

Mohsin Naqvi said that the decision on new provinces should be taken by national consensus. All political parties must sit down on the issue. He said governments and parliament should sit down and hear the parties concerned. He said the debate on provinces should not be based on language, ethnicity or clan. He added, “Even after a South or North Punjab, I will remain a Punjabi, and a Sindhi will remain a Sindhi. Better governance must be brought closer to the people.”