Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, dismissed Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s recent remarks regarding the creation of new administrative units, describing them as lacking clarity and coherence. Sanaullah expressed his inability to grasp the minister’s intended message, emphasizing that the comments appeared to reflect Naqvi’s personal views rather than an official stance.
Speaking about the matter, Sanaullah stated that it was up to Naqvi to clarify and take responsibility for his statements. This response came after Naqvi asserted that Pakistan’s current governance system had effectively “collapsed” and was incapable of resolving the country’s ongoing challenges. He advocated for significant administrative reforms, including the establishment of new administrative units, during his address at the Pakistan Economic Summit held in Islamabad on July 30.
Naqvi warned that without fundamental changes, Pakistan would continue to face persistent problems over the next decade. Meanwhile, Sanaullah stressed that any such reforms must be approached through constitutional and parliamentary procedures. He admitted having listened to Naqvi’s speech but found it confusing, noting contradictions within the minister’s remarks and a lack of clear explanation.
Highlighting the existing constitutional framework, Sanaullah pointed out that the creation of smaller provinces and administrative units requires parliamentary debate and cannot be decided solely through public discourse. He affirmed that the ultimate decision rests with party leadership and recalled that during the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s tenure in Punjab from 2013 to 2018, his party had introduced resolutions aimed at forming new provinces.
“I personally moved resolutions both for establishing a commission and for creating two new provinces in Punjab,” Sanaullah said. He outlined the necessity of constituting a national commission to address critical issues related to new provinces, including financial arrangements, administrative matters, and representation in the National Assembly, provincial assemblies, and the Senate.
Describing the matter as complex, Sanaullah called for thorough consultations among political stakeholders before any decisions are made. He suggested that Pakistan could consider adopting a system of smaller provinces, a robust local government structure, or a combination of both, but emphasized that political parties must reach a consensus.
Additionally, Sanaullah questioned the relevance of Naqvi’s remarks about the prime minister working 18 hours daily, stating that he failed to see the connection between this point and the debate on administrative reforms.
Separately, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif commented on Naqvi’s role within the cabinet, describing him as “the most powerful minister” who operates independently of the prime minister in several areas. Asif noted that despite holding the interior minister portfolio, Naqvi rarely participates in the government’s system, having attended only two or three cabinet meetings and about seven or eight parliamentary sessions since taking office.
Reacting to Naqvi’s criticism of the governance system, Asif remarked that if the interior minister himself is dissatisfied with the system, “then we should simply go home.”
