Asif reacts to Naqvi’s call for governance reset, urges him to begin with his own ministry or PCB

Reacting to Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s call for an overhaul of the country’s 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 “revolution” in the Pakistan Cricket Board, which Naqvi heads in addition to the interior ministry.

Speaking at the Pakistan Economic Summit on Thursday, Naqvi had said the governance system in the country had “collapsed” 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.

A day later, the military’s spokesperson also urged political parties to consider an administrative reset for improving governance, arg­uing that the country’s security and stability depe­nded on adapting its governance structure to the requirements of modern times and a growing population.

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 nat­ional security. Further recalling the NAP adopted after the 2014 Army Public School attack, he said its 14-point agenda, unanimously endor­sed by political parties, had also rested on effective governance.

On Saturday, Asif reacted to Naqvi’s suggestion in an X post, in which he also mentioned the DG ISPR’s remarks.

“Mohsin Naqvi’s sahib expressed his views on the dire state of the system. I more or less personally agree with these views,” he said, calling the interior minister a “powerhouse”.

Asif added that as a political worker, he too strongly felt the process of the system’s evolution had been “held captive to factional and personal interests for decades, and it needs to be freed”.

He said he had a few requests in this regard, adding: “If 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.