ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday urged all political parties to \u201csettle\u201d various national-level issues, including the question of creating\u00a0new provinces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026 being held in Islamabad, Naqvi said there was \u201conly one solution\u201d to improving the country\u2019s overall condition: \u201cYou will have to take [the matter of] administrative units, provinces or whatever you may call it, to the public.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The interior minister argued: \u201cAll political parties should sit together in a single room, whether for a day, a month or a year. They will have to settle every issue of their country, including new units and provinces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnless they do so, unless they sit together and change this, this country will remain in the same condition, regardless of how many seminars and functions you hold.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Various political parties have demanded the creation of more provinces or administrative units for better governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) \u2014 an ally of the PML-N-led ruling coalition \u2014 has been demanding that Karachi be designated a province separate from Sindh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the PPP, which rules Sindh and is also an ally of the PML-N government at the Centre along with MQM-P, has strongly opposed the suggested move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, the PPP and the PTI have long advocated for a South Punjab province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the outset of his speech, Naqvi said, \u201cWhether you agree or not, the system we have been living under has collapsed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He contended that there would be no change in the country\u2019s conditions if the same \u201csystem\u201d remains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister emphasised that ordinary citizens wanted to be able to afford necessities and have interactions with the government, which were not being provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He further said: \u201cThe condition of this federal government is such that we make our budgets in the negative, and we discuss how much debt we have to incur this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c[\u2026] We will take more debts, but we will not correct things,\u201d he pointed out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asserting that he was the \u201cbiggest supporter\u201d of democracy, Naqvi highlighted that there were multiple systems even within democracy. \u201cBut we say, no matter what, we have to keep running and dragging this,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The minister said Pakistan\u2019s diplomatic efforts, which were even hailed globally, were \u201csimply firefighting\u201d. \u201cUntil you correct the basics of this country while adhering to the spirit of democracy, this will remain the same,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Noting that Islamabad was a \u201cvery busy city\u201d, Naqvi said, \u201cUnless units are made and they take ownership, and a new leadership comes, this will not happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He went on to remark that giving \u201cstipends and tablets to youngsters\u201d would not make them happy, as the youth wanted merit-based job opportunities and a \u201ccorrected system\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are not able to give the youth that,\u201d the interior minister said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf these \u2018cockroaches\u2019 get united, they can turn everything upside down,\u201d he quipped, referring to a term often used for Gen-Z in the wake of recent student protests in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Noting that all business chambers and associations were present at the summit, the minister said he considered them to be \u201cthose who run the political system\u201d and fund it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne gives funding of Rs500 million before elections, or the other gives Rs100m or Rs50m.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also said that those attending the summit were \u201cresponsible for the current state of Pakistan and where it is today\u201d, noting that certain systems had not worked for the past 70 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday urged all political parties to \u201csettle\u201d various national-level issues, including the question of creating\u00a0new provinces. Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026 being held in Islamabad, Naqvi said there was \u201conly one solution\u201d to improving the country\u2019s overall condition: \u201cYou will have to take [the matter of] administrative […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130394,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n