Islamabad(The COW News Digital)Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said he will not back down from his demand for the creation of new provinces and administrative units, regardless of whether he remains in office.
Addressing a National Policy Dialogue in Lahore, Naqvi said Pakistan needed to review and reform its existing system instead of repeatedly focusing on changes in governments or political parties.
He argued that the country had failed to achieve the desired results during its 79-year history and stressed that the system needed to be reset to address shortcomings in governance and public service delivery.
Naqvi clarified that calls for a “system reset” should not be interpreted as an attempt to replace the current government or political arrangement. He said the objective was to identify weaknesses within the system and introduce reforms that could improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
The interior minister said essential facilities such as education, healthcare, clean drinking water and sanitation should be accessible to every citizen. He maintained that better governance and improved service delivery could help resolve many of the problems faced by the public.
Speaking about the demand for new administrative units, Naqvi urged people not to approach the issue emotionally. He said public opinion should be given greater importance than the position of individual politicians, political parties or representatives.
He emphasized that no new administrative unit should be created without the approval of the people, but argued that if citizens genuinely support the idea, there should be no unnecessary resistance.
Naqvi also called for Islamabad to be given provincial status. He said residents of the federal capital do not receive a share from the National Finance Commission and argued that Islamabad should have representation in the NFC if new provinces are being considered.
According to the minister, Islamabad’s administrative system is heavily dependent on the Capital Development Authority’s land sales, while the city does not receive direct funding from the provincial budget system.
Naqvi questioned whether a single bureaucratic setup could effectively manage the affairs of populations running into tens of millions. He argued that administrative responsibilities should be brought closer to the people.
He also highlighted the potential role of elected mayors, saying local representatives are often better placed to understand the everyday problems faced by citizens.
Naqvi said the debate over administrative restructuring should focus on improving governance rather than political interests. He reiterated that he would continue supporting the creation of new administrative units if the public believes such reforms are necessary for better governance and service delivery.
