Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday said that any new administrative units in the country would only be formed if the people voiced their support for such a move.
asserted
people → say → move
Addressing the National Policy Dialogue in Lahore, he said, “Reset does not mean breaking the system.
asserted
Reset → address → system
Under no circumstances does it mean breaking the system.
asserted
it → mean → system
It means that whatever is wrong should be changed.”
asserted
is → mean → ?
Naqvi stressed that the changes should be brought through “political consensus” and “according to the will of our people”.
uncertain
changes → stress → people
He added that if the nation did not want the new administrative units, they would not be created.
asserted
they → add → units
He emphasised that such a change could not be brought about only based on the will of an individual, a political party or a government.
uncertain
change → emphasise → individual
“And this would only happen if the people want it and consent to it,” he maintained.
asserted
he → happen → it
The interior minister called for a dialogue that would consider the positive and negative aspects of new units.
asserted
that → call → units
“Draft a thing and present it to the people, asking them whether they accept it or not.”
On the question of how many new administrative units should be created with what territorial limits, Naqvi emphasised the need to review their “benefits, methods and financial consequences”.
asserted
Naqvi → draft → benefits
“Most importantly, our parliament, experts and those people responsible for it should debate on it, and finally, we must seek our public’s opinion.”
asserted
we → debate → opinion
The minister clarified that his comments from last month were not about any particular political party, but rather about the “system” that has been in place since the country’s independence.
asserted
that → clarify → independence
Naqvi called for undertaking the proposed administrative reforms as per the Constitution.
asserted
Naqvi → call → Constitution
“It has to be done through democratic means.”
asserted
It → have → means
“Under no circumstances are we ready to accept that we have become so incapable that we cannot reset this system,” he said, calling for political parties to hold deliberations on the matter.
asserted
parties → accept → matter
The interior minister asserted he would not abandon the idea, adding that many “emotional” speeches were being made about the administrative units.
asserted
speeches → assert → units
He urged politicians not to get emotional about the topic, adding that the change was not one that would happen overnight.
asserted
that → urge → topic
The minister contended that the country’s administrative system had lost its effectiveness and its “impact is not reaching the public at all”.
asserted
impact → contend → public
Acknowledging administrative issues, Naqvi said, “Even today, four out of every 10 children are not receiving the education they need.
asserted
they → acknowledge → education
Today, only 55 per cent of the population has access to clean drinking water, and there are still two million cases pending in our courts.
asserted
cent → have → courts
These were the issues that the government was trying to rectify, he contended.
asserted
he → try → that
Describing himself as the “biggest supporter of Islamabad province”, Naqvi called for the federal capital to receive its share of the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
asserted
capital → describe → Award
“Islamabad is the only city that does not get a single rupee from the budget of Pakistan,” he insisted, adding that declaring Islamabad a province would give its citizens their rights.
asserted
Islamabad → get → rights
The minister also highlighted the population factor in the disbursement of the NFC award, saying it remained an “incentive” for provinces.
asserted
it → highlight → provinces
“That incentive is present till today, so are we waiting for that bomb to explode?
asserted
bomb → wait → today
[…] Does this not need to be reset?”
asserted
this → need → ?
Naqvi further said, “Governments keep changing; policies keep changing; budgets come and go; and we keep making plans.
asserted
we → say → plans
But the biggest issue is how much we are able to deliver in the end.”
asserted
we → deliver → end
He added that if, despite all the potential that Pakistan has, “we are still not getting the results, it is necessary to reset it (the system)”.
asserted
it → add → it
Citing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as an example, Naqvi said the politicians who came to power as mayors knew their citizens and their problems the best.
asserted
who → cite → citizens
The minister stressed that the proposed reforms would aim to empower the people.
asserted
reforms → stress → people
He said a Sindhi would remain Sindhi and a Punjabi would remain Punjabi.
asserted
Punjabi → say → ?
“No one will be asked to surrender their identity,” he assured the public.
asserted
he → ask → public
He added that the discussion on the proposed reforms was not supposed to be based on generational, tribal or regional divides.
asserted
discussion → add → divides
“Its aim is improved governance, a competent system and bringing people closer to the government.”
asserted
aim → improve → government
Concluding his address, Naqvi reiterated: “In no circumstances should we stray from the will of the people.
asserted
we → conclude → people
All political parties will have to deliberate on this.
asserted
parties → have → this
He added, “If this is what the public wants, then it will happen no matter what.”
asserted
it → add → what
IPP welcomes minister’s position on the creation of new provinces
Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) President Abdul Aleem Khan welcomed Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal’s stance on the creation of new provinces, saying the positive and well-reasoned views expressed by political leaders from different parties on the important national issue were encouraging.
asserted
views → welcome → issue
In a message posted on X, Aleem appreciated Iqbal’s position and said it was reassuring that political leaders at the national level were adopting a positive approach towards the creation of new provinces.
asserted
leaders → post → provinces
…and 10 more, not listed.
