• Interior minister says new units have to be created as population can’t be managed through existing structure
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asserted
population → say → structure
Khawaja Asif says devolution of power ‘inevitable’, accuses major ally of ‘contradictory stance’
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devolution → say → stance
PPP opposes division of Sindh; Rabbani says creating new provinces not a federal matter
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creating → oppose → provinces
PTI asks why PM largely absent from debate
LAHORE/KARACHI:
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PM → ask → debate
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday renewed his call for a “reset” of Pakistan’s governance system, insisting that the country needed to restructure its administrative framework to address decades-old failures in public service delivery and declared that new administrative units had to be made at any cost.
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units → renew → cost
“New administrative units will eventually have to be created as Pakistan’s growing population and changing needs can no longer be effectively managed through the existing administrative structure,” said the minister, who is considered close to the powers that be.
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that → have → powers
Addressing a National Policy Dialogue on ‘Devolution of Powers and Good Governance in Pakistan’ at the University of Management and Technology, Mr Naqvi said the proposed “reset” did not mean a change of government or political party but a comprehensive review and restructuring of the administrative system to make it responsive to the needs of citizens.
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it → address → citizens
His earlier remarks about “resetting the system” had been widely interpreted as a reference to the incumbent government.
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remarks → reset → government
He clarified that his call was not aimed at replacing any particular government or political party.
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call → clarify → government
Mr Naqvi said Pakistan, after nearly eight decades, was still struggling to provide basic services to its citizens, including education, healthcare, clean drinking water and sanitation.
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Pakistan → say → education
He said Pakistan would eventually have to restructure its administrative boundaries.
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Pakistan → say → boundaries
“New administrative units will have to be created.
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units → have → ?
No one can stop it.
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one → stop → it
However, such a major decision cannot be imposed by an individual or a single political party and should instead be made in accordance with the wishes of the people.
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decision → impose → people
If the people want new administrative units, they should be created,” he said.
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he → want → units
He stressed any restructuring of the state and the creation of new administrative units must take place strictly within the constitutional and legal framework and through political consensus.
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restructuring → stress → consensus
Drawing an analogy with the growth of a family, the interior minister said that while a single house may once have accommodated an entire family, expanding families eventually required additional homes.
uncertain
families → draw → homes
“Similarly, as the population grows and its needs increase, the administrative system and structure must also change,” he said.
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he → grow → ?
Referring to some political parties, Mr Naqvi said there appeared to be anxiety among certain quarters over devolving powers to the grassroots level, but maintained that such concerns could be addressed through constitutional means.
uncertain
concerns → refer → means
“Powers can be transferred to the lower levels within the framework of the Constitution.
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Powers → transfer → Constitution
No illegal or unconstitutional measures will be permitted,” he said.
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he → permit → ?
Provincial status for Islamabad
He also called for a debate on granting provincial status to Islamabad, saying residents of the federal capital did not receive a share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award.
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residents → call → Award
“If new provinces are to be created, Islamabad should also be given the status of a province,” he said and urged political and public support for the proposal.
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he → create → proposal
“The opinion of the people is more important than that of politicians on the issue of new administrative units,” he said, adding that no such units should be created without public approval.
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units → say → approval
Khawaja Asif slams ‘double standards’
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Asif → slam → standards
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has said that the devolution of power is “inevitable”, while also accusing the PPP of having a contradictory stance on the issue of new provinces.
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devolution → say → provinces
“When there is talk of a Saraiki province in Punjab, the PPP supports it or shows a soft corner on this issue.
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PPP → be → issue
And when there is talk of multiple provinces or administrative units instead of four, talk of ‘Sindhudesh’ begins,” he said in a post on the social media platform X late Friday night.
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he → be → platform
Mr Asif said that he saw “something else” behind this “dual policy” by the PPP, adding that he would delve into this deeper “when the time comes”.
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time → say → this
Devolution was decided as a constitutional principle through the 18th Amendment, which was not respected.
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which → decide → Amendment
Time and circumstance demand that it be implemented with integrity,” he said.
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he → demand → integrity
He said that concentration of power had made the current system obsolete, which needed to be “corrected”.
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which → say → power
“Provinces or administrative units, whatever label you want to apply.
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you → want → label
You have 36 divisions, use them, or devise some other administrative-geographical scheme.
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You → have → scheme
The devolution of power is inevitable,” he said.
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he → say → power
PPP opposes Sindh’s division
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PPP → oppose → division
Meanwhile, the PPP stepped up its opposition to the federal government’s statements on new provinces and administrative units.
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PPP → step → provinces
The PPP Sindh leadership, at a meeting chaired by provincial president Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, accused the federal ministers of interfering in the constitutional affairs of the province and warned the federal government against any attempt to undermine Sindh’s autonomy or territorial integrity.
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leadership → chair → autonomy
The meeting called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to restrain his ministers from making statements on new provinces and warned that continued remarks could lead the PPP to conclude that the federal government was behind a “conspiracy against Sindh’s unity, provincial autonomy and the 18th Amendment”.
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government → call → unity
The PPP Sindh meeting also decided to hold divisional-level ‘Sindh Unity’ seminars and rallies at tehsil headquarters on September 12 under the slogan ‘Sindh is the motherland’.
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Sindh → decide → slogan
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
