Naqvi suggests referendum as 'solution' to debate on new administrative units

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday suggested that political parties hold a referendum to gauge the public’s opinion on the creation of new administrative units or provinces, terming it the “solution” to the ongoing debate.</p> <p>The security czar has whipped up a <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019825">political storm</a> over the past few months since he called for the formation of <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019599"><u>new administrative units</u></a> in the country, saying the current “system” of governance had “collapsed” and needed a “reset”.</p> <p>Replying to a media query at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in Lahore on Thursday, Naqvi noted that each political party had a right to disagree with another party or individual.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2028540'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2028540" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>At the same time, he observed that all parties stressed democracy and the supremacy of the people. Therefore, he said: “My only request to all political parties is that this is such an issue […] so they should hold a referendum.</p> <p>“Whatever the public’s opinion in the referendum is; if the public says [new units] should not be created, I am 100 per cent with them that they should not be created. [But], if the public says they should be made, then they should.”</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.youtube.com/shorts/3_hP92Cmwg0'> <div class='media__item media__item--youtube_short media__item--relative'> <div style="position: relative; aspect-ratio: 9 / 16; overflow: hidden; max-width: 360px; margin: auto"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3_hP92Cmwg0?enablejsapi=1&controls=1&modestbranding=1&rel=0" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0;" loading="lazy" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen ></iframe> </div></div> </figure> <p>Naqvi noted that political parties had varying stances on the debate, with the PPP “having its own stance [and] some parties having their own stance while not saying anything officially”.</p> <p>He again stressed that the solution was to take public opinion into account, suggesting that if there was a proposal for a “better solution”, that should also be presented to the people.</p> <p>Acknowledging the importance of allies in the ruling coalition, he said: “Everyone is a part of this government, and nothing will happen against their will. And if something does happen, then it will be after taking everyone’s consensus.”</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2043438'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2043438" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>“My only recommendation is that if we were to conclude this debate, then we should just take the people’s opinion,” he said.</p> <p>The minister had also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2027688">affirmed</a> in September that any new administrative units would only be formed with the public’s consent, while also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2027835">doubling down</a> on his call for new provinces.</p> <h2><a id="naqvi-claims-he-and-bilawal-nearly-on-same-page" href="#naqvi-claims-he-and-bilawal-nearly-on-same-page" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" title="Permalink"></a>Naqvi claims he and Bilawal ‘nearly on same page’</h2> <p>Responding to another question, Naqvi recalled <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043550">recent remarks</a> by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, wherein he had called for a “political reset” and encouraged unity among political parties.</p> <p>The security czar contended that he and Bilawal were “nearly on the same page”.</p> <p>“He (Bilawal) said that political matters are about to be reset, while my suggestion is that overall matters are about to be reset,” Naqvi elaborated.</p> <p>In his remarks on Tuesday, the Bhutto scion had <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043550">called for</a> a “political reset”, wherein all political parties must unite for the sake of the country, <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043682">rather than</a> indulge in “unnecessary debates”.</p> <p>His call for political unity followed <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2037812"><u>exchanges</u></a> of <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2040695"><u>harsh remarks</u></a> in recent weeks between federal ministers and veteran politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has now decided to <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2042114"><u>strengthen his ties</u></a> with the opposition.</p> <p>The PPP chairman also questioned the need for “new experiments” when the country was confronted with much bigger challenges, particularly the economic crisis arising from the Middle East tensions.</p> <p>The same day, PPP’s Punjab chapter also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043682#:~:text=Advocates%20strong%20local%20govts">strongly rejected</a> any move towards the creation of new provinces, asserting that doing so will neither address soaring inflation nor rampant unemployment.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2028581'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2028581" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>While Naqvi said he and Bilawal largely shared the same views, the PPP chairman in September had <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2028581/instead-of-speaking-at-business-forums-naqvi-should-visit-parliament-bilawal-on-interior-ministers-call-for-governance-reset">called for a parliamentary debate</a> on the creation of new provinces.</p> <p>“So instead of [speaking at] business forums, Mohsin Naqvi should visit [Parliament],” he had remarked, an apparent reference to the first instance of Naqvi stressing the need for more administrative units while speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026 in July.</p> <p>PPP, which rules Sindh and is also an ally of the PML-N government at the Centre, has <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019984"><u>strongly opposed</u></a> the creation of a new province within Sindh. It has also maintained that any decision on the subject<a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019502"><u> </u></a>must be taken through the constitutional and parliamentary processes with political consensus.</p> <p>Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043163">statement</a> regarding the creation of 12 more provinces has also added to the <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019825">debate</a> on administrative units <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2019599">started by</a> Naqvi.</p> <h2><a id="corruption-exists-across-entire-pakistan" href="#corruption-exists-across-entire-pakistan" class="heading-permalink" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" title="Permalink"></a>‘Corruption exists across entire Pakistan’</h2> <p>In his talk with reporters, Naqvi was also asked about federal minister Chaudhry Salik’s recent <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2043827">remarks</a> over alleged corruption in Punjab.</p> <p>In response, he said: “If someone is saying that no corruption is taking place in Pakistan, then apologies but corruption exists across the entire country and it is our responsibility to end it.”</p> <p>The interior minister stressed the importance of highlighting corruption where it was present.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2043827'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2043827" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>The conversation on corruption started after PML-Q’s Salik <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2041737">criticised</a> the incumbent Punjab government led by PML-N, alleging that he regularly heard complaints of corruption.</p> <p>Incensed by his remarks, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2041860"><u>sent a Rs5 billion defamation notice</u></a> to Salik for levelling allegations of corruption against her government and demanded that he retract his remarks.</p> <p>Naqvi was also asked about a Capital Development Authority (CDA) <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2041006">notice </a>issued in relation to the residence of the JUI-F chief, which he defended, stating, “This (CDA) campaign has been ongoing for months, and it is not against a certain individual.”</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed ' data-original-src='https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwxVdQ_aeBk'> <div class='media__item media__item--youtube '><iframe src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/fwxVdQ_aeBk?enablejsapi=1&controls=1&modestbranding=1&rel=0' loading='lazy' allow='accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture' allowfullscreen='' frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='100%' height='100%'></iframe></div> </figure> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.