‘Better not to take administrative units debate any further’, says PPP after Naqvi’s proposal

• PPP opposes discussions about administrative units.
• Naqvi floats idea of forming administrative units.
• Chaudhry says PML-N has always called for new provinces.

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the main ally of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Centre, on Friday advised against taking the debate of new administrative units any further.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi a day earlier said Pakistan’s existing governance system had collapsed and was no longer capable of addressing the country’s challenges, calling for administrative reforms, including the creation of new administrative units.

“The system we are living under has collapsed. Problems cannot be solved through it […] If this system continues, we will still be sitting here 10 years from now discussing the same issues […] You have to move towards administrative units. Call them provinces or give them any other name,” he told an event in Islamabad.

He told journalists later that the efforts of the Chief of Army Staff and the Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would not yield lasting results unless politicians worked together to reform Pakistan’s governance system.

“Unless politicians fix the country’s system, the Field Marshal’s hard work will be of no benefit […] The country’s political parties will have to come together to improve the system,” he added.

In response, PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman, during Truth Wire’programme “Geo Pakistan”, suggested against such an idea.

“It would be better if the debate about administrative units is not taken any further. No concrete proposal regarding administrative units has been put forward before us so far,” she said.

The PPP leader noted that it was also not the “right time” to speak about administrative units and stressed that, while her party always strives to resolve issues politically, there was a need to “fix governance”.

Meanwhile, State Minister for Interior Tallal Chaudhry said that Naqvi believes no solution sans political backing is workable. “Everyone says that the system should be made better. With regards to the current system, Naqvi has played an important role.”

Chaudhry asked whether, except for “one province”, which other province had shown better performance after the 18th Amendment — a landmark legislation which devolved powers from the Centre to the provinces.

“Naqvi made the statement in goodwill; it should not be seen as an attempt to derail the system. There’s a need for reforms, and Naqvi has invited political parties in this regard.”

The minister called for the establishment of new provinces if there’s a need for better governance. “PML-N has always spoken about new provinces for [better] governance.”

The basis, Chaudhry explained, for establishing a new province should be governance. “If governance isn’t good, then a new province should be formed. No other province apart from Punjab has been able to show performance.”