Lahore: Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has linked the discussion on the establishment of new provinces and administrative units to public opinion and said that he will not back down from this demand, whether he remains in office or not.
Addressing the National Policy Dialogue in Lahore, Mohsin Naqvi said that the establishment of new administrative units should not be a unilateral decision of any political party or government. According to him, the most important opinion in this matter should be that of the people.
He clarified that the issue of new provinces must be taken forward within the constitutional framework. If the people support new administrative units, there should be no obstacle in their creation, while in case of public opposition, such a step should not be taken.
Mohsin Naqvi also openly supported granting provincial status to Islamabad. He said that the citizens of Islamabad do not get a direct share from the National Finance Commission while the Capital Development Authority sells its lands to meet the administrative expenses of the capital.
The Interior Minister raised the question that if the management of big cities and urban issues can be resolved more effectively at the local level, then why should there be any objection to bringing the powers closer to the people. According to him, the mayor can understand the daily problems of the people more closely and the local government can better meet the needs of the citizens.
He also stressed the need to avoid taking the discussion of new administrative units forward on the basis of linguistic, ethnic or community. He said that the main objective should be to bring better governance and powers closer to the citizens.
Mohsin Naqvi also stressed the need for reforms in the country’s current administrative system. He clarified that his talk of “system reset” did not mean changing any government, political party or specific political arrangement.
He said that he was referring to reforming the administrative and government structure that has not been delivering the desired results for a long time. According to him, instead of breaking the system, it is necessary to remove its shortcomings.
The Interior Minister also expressed concern over the state of education. He said that if a fifth-grade child cannot read even simple sentences fluently, then this is a serious weakness in the country’s education system. He said that he would not back down from his stand on the issue, even if it means losing his position.
Mohsin Naqvi also advised political and public circles to avoid emotions on the issue of new administrative units. According to him, this is not a decision that is going to be taken immediately in a day or two, but for this, a constitutional process, political consensus and public opinion will be necessary.
The debate on new provinces has resurfaced in recent weeks. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal has also stressed the need to initiate a national debate on the country’s administrative structure and has put forward a proposal for 12 to 15 new provinces. However, no final decision has been announced at the government level.
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