Naqvi says Pakistan's system is about to be reset, promises improvement
Naqvi says Pakistan’s system is about to be reset, promises improvement
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Friday that the Naqvi system reset was about to happen in Pakistan, and that the move would improve the state of affairs in the country.
Addressing a ceremony of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) to congratulate its newly elected office-bearers, Naqvi said Pakistan should learn from the “experience and systems” of developed countries.
“I can tell you that the system of this country is going to be reset. For this reset to take place, we need the business community’s support. When the system is reset, I remain hopeful that many things will improve,” he remarked.
The remarks land in the middle of an ongoing debate over new provinces and restructuring of the country’s administrative setup, after Naqvi said earlier this year that the governance system had collapsed.
Naqvi system reset push linked to new provinces debate
The debate over new provinces began on July 30, when Naqvi called for additional administrative units as part of a broader overhaul of the governance system. He argued that structural reforms were needed to improve governance, deliver justice and create opportunities for young people.
A day later, his proposal appeared to receive support from ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who said an administrative reset, if required, should be undertaken to ensure good governance.
The proposal quickly became politically sensitive in Sindh, where the PPP strongly opposed any move to divide the province. On September 3, the Sindh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to divide Sindh. Naqvi showed no sign of backing away, and on September 5 he said he would continue to support new provinces, arguing that the ultimate decision should belong to the people.
Export drive and ‘Made in Pakistan’
At the LCCI event, Naqvi said the solution to the country’s economic problems was to increase exports by any means possible. Whether the target was $170 billion or $9 billion, he said, “every dollar is important” to him.
He urged the business community to shift towards “Made in Pakistan,” saying Pakistan imported non-oil goods worth more than $40 billion annually and that this bill could be cut to $20 billion.
“This is also very easy to do. If we set targets of $10 billion and $5 billion and start working towards them, God willing, we can make significant progress in three to four years,” he said.
Naqvi’s Iran mediation trips
Naqvi also revealed that over the past three to four months, he had frequently travelled to Iran for mediation efforts aimed at resolving the conflict between Tehran and Washington, which had engulfed the region since February 28, when the United States and Israel attacked Iran.
He said his delegation was surprised by Iran’s level of self-reliance despite 30 to 40 years of war and sanctions. “They have a construction industry, an automobile industry — name anything and they manufacture it in their own country,” he said. “If Iranians can manufacture and do everything themselves, why can’t we?”
What did Naqvi mean by the system being reset?
Naqvi did not spell out the details, but his remarks sit within his ongoing push for administrative restructuring, including his July 30 call for new provinces or additional administrative units as part of a broader governance overhaul.
Who opposes Naqvi’s new provinces proposal?
The PPP strongly opposes dividing Sindh. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah rejected Naqvi’s assessment that the governance system had collapsed, and on September 3 the Sindh Assembly unanimously resolved that the province would remain undivided.
What is Naqvi’s plan to cut imports?
He proposed cutting the annual import bill for non-oil goods from over $40 billion to $20 billion by manufacturing more goods domestically, working towards $10 billion and $5 billion targets within three to four years.
