ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Reacting to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi\u2019s\u00a0call\u00a0for an overhaul of the country\u2019s governance structure, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has advised him to initiate the change by implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) and with his own ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also urged him to bring a \u201crevolution\u201d in the Pakistan Cricket Board, which Naqvi heads in addition to the interior ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit on Thursday, Naqvi had said the governance system in the country had \u201ccollapsed\u201d and argued that the country needed new administrative units, or provinces, to improve service delivery, accountability and access to justice. He had also said new leadership was needed in the country and argued that the youth wanted justice, merit and jobs rather than stipends and laptops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A day later, the military\u2019s spokesperson also urged political parties to consider an administrative reset for improving governance, arg\u00aduing that the country\u2019s security and stability depe\u00adnded on adapting its governance structure to the requirements of modern times and a growing population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at a news conference, Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said governance had long been identified by the military as a prerequisite for nat\u00adional security. Further recalling the NAP adopted after the 2014 Army Public School attack, he said its 14-point agenda, unanimously endor\u00adsed by political parties, had also rested on effective governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Saturday, Asif reacted to Naqvi\u2019s suggestion in an X post, in which he also mentioned the DG ISPR\u2019s remarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMohsin Naqvi\u2019s sahib expressed his views on the dire state of the system. I more or less personally agree with these views,\u201d he said, calling the interior minister a \u201cpowerhouse\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asif added that as a political worker, he too strongly felt the process of the system\u2019s evolution had been \u201cheld captive to factional and personal interests for decades, and it needs to be freed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said he had a few requests in this regard, adding: \u201cIf the system has to be strengthened and a fundamental change has to be brought about, its forum is Parliament, of which Naqvi sahib is a member. Or this matter could be discussed in the cabinet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis way, these institutions and the system would strengthen, and the change would be brought about through a constitutional process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asif went on to point out Naqvi was also a member of the cabinet, further claiming that he rarely attended parliamentary and cabinet sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said: \u201cIn my opinion, [treating] these institutions as irrelevant and making such a big statement to a captive audience after inviting the country\u2019s eminent and respected businessmen doesn\u2019t carry the same weight that speaking at the relevant constitutional forums would have earned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asif said Naqvi had been on a \u201cvery powerful post\u201d of the system for the past three years. \u201cHad he wanted, he could have spoken about a change in the system or made progress on it during this time,\u201d he said, moving to cite the DG ISPR\u2019s remarks during Friday\u2019s press briefing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The defence minister said the military\u2019s spokesperson had referred to the NAP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe implementation of one of its points, which is the armed forces\u2019 responsibility, is being done by sacrificing lives. The implementation of the remaining 12 points is the interior ministry\u2019s responsibility, but they have not been implemented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMohsin Naqvi sahib, begin the change in the system with the implementation of NAP; begin the change in the system with your ministry. Not just the respected business community, the entire nation is with you,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a subsequent post, Asif further stated: \u201cNaqvi sahib, systems keep evolving all the time and they should. As an example, bring about a revolution in the PCB; cricket fans are not satisfied with PCB\u2019s performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that in PCB, \u201cpower is entirely in your hands. There is neither any prime minister, nor parliament, nor any outdated system as an obstacle\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Naqvi\u2019s call for a reset of the system and creation of more administrative units has sparked a debate in the country, with the PPP referring the question to its top decision-making forum, the Sindh chief minister flatly rejecting it, Lahore\u2019s lawyers terming it unconstitutional and Sindhi nationalist groups demanding the minister\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the recent past, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) \u2014 also an ally of the PML-N-led ruling coalition \u2014 has repeatedly demanded that Karachi be designated a province separate from Sindh. 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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD(National Times)- Reacting to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi\u2019s\u00a0call\u00a0for an overhaul of the country\u2019s governance structure, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has advised him to initiate the change by implementing the National Action Plan (NAP) and with his own ministry. He also urged him to bring a \u201crevolution\u201d in the Pakistan Cricket Board, which Naqvi heads in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":130567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n