Interior minister calls for consensus on major decisions, proposes referendum on new provinces
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi addressing a press conference at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Photo: Screengrab
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday said he and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari were almost on the same page regarding a reset of the system, while stressing that any major decision would require agreement among political parties.
Addressing a press conference at the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Naqvi said Bilawal had spoken about resetting the “political system”, while his own suggestion concerned an “overall reset.”
He said the “PPP, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and other political parties were important partners in the government and that decisions would be made through mutual agreement.”
Naqvi maintained that “no decision would be taken without the consent of the parties concerned.” He also dismissed suggestions circulating on “social media that differences would emerge among coalition partners”.
Discussing the issue of creating new provinces, the interior minister urged “political parties to seek public opinion through a referendum.”
He said every political party had the right to hold a different position on the matter, but the public’s opinion should determine the outcome. Naqvi said that “if people opposed the creation of new provinces, their decision should be accepted”. Similarly, if they supported the proposal, political parties should respect that position.
He acknowledged that the PPP had its own stance on the issue, while other parties also held differing views. The minister said a referendum offered a possible solution and that any alternative proposal should also be presented to the public.
Responding to questions about corruption, Naqvi said corruption existed across Pakistan and that the government had a responsibility to identify and address it. He acknowledged that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) faced serious corruption problems.
The minister said, “Authorities had taken action against officials involved in wrongdoing, including within the Interior Ministry.” He said he and the Minister of State for Interior, “Talal Chaudhry, ” have been taking strict measures against corruption, but cases continued to emerge.
Read: Bilawal calls for ‘system reset’ through unity
Naqvi said officials found involved in wrongdoing had been arrested and that five major cases involving the CDA were being pursued. He also referred to the “arrest of a Grade-17 government officer by the NCCIA”.
The interior minister said the government needed to acknowledge corruption wherever it existed and take action based on evidence.
Referring to notices issued by the CDA, Naqvi said: “approximately 5,000 to 6,000 people had received notices as part of an ongoing campaign”. He said the notices were not directed at any particular individual and that the “campaign had been under way for several months.”
The minister expressed concern over encroachments on government land in Islamabad, saying public land had been occupied extensively. He added that those affected by the notices had access to legal remedies.
Highlighting the NCCIA’s operations, Naqvi said the agency had uncovered a major international “education-related fraud involving approximately 5,000 Pakistanis”. He said the suspects had helped individuals pass examinations conducted by “international institutions through fraudulent means.”
The minister announced that action would also be taken against all “5,000 Pakistanis who had allegedly benefited from the scheme”. He praised “NCCIA Director General Atif and his team for uncovering the operation, saying it could have caused serious harm to Pakistan if left unchecked.”
Naqvi said the NCCIA had arrested “15 suspects during operations conducted over the previous month against pornography-related activities”. He said the suspects had been operating primarily from Lahore and were allegedly connected with international websites.
The minister also “referred to separate cases involving a call centre and a child victim, saying the agency had taken action in those matters”. He expressed confidence that additional resources would help the NCCIA strengthen its operations against such activities.
The interior minister said the NCCIA was working to digitise its complaint system to improve monitoring and accountability. He said the new system would allow complaints to be recorded electronically and enable authorities to track individual cases and their progress.
Naqvi also highlighted the agency’s shortage of resources and personnel. He said a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was scheduled for the following week to discuss the NCCIA’s resource requirements.
The minister said the agency’s limited staffing was placing considerable pressure on its performance despite personnel working around the clock.
Read more: Bilawal slams PTI’s Afridi over K-P security, says PPP ready to fight terrorists
Responding to rumours circulating over the previous two to three days, Naqvi said such speculation could continue briefly but would not alter the legal position. He maintained that individuals would receive whatever relief they were legally entitled to through the courts.
The interior minister said matters requiring judicial decisions would be determined through the legal process.
