Pakistan’s all-powerful interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would complete his five-year tenure even though he doubled down on his remark that the governance system has “collapsed”. The startling remark by Naqvi, who has close ties with army chief Asim Munir, at the Pakistan Economic Summit last week had generated fervent speculation about the survival of the Sharif government. It had also laid bare the fault lines within Pakistan’s hybrid political structure.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Naqvi cleared the air on the future of the PML-N government. “The future for the government is the completion of its five-year tenure. Shehbaz Sharif will remain the prime minister for five years. He will complete his five-year term,” Naqvi said, according to a report in The Dawn.
Regarding Pakistan, such statements, however, should be taken with a pinch of salt. The historically brief tenures of civilian governments in Pakistan are no secret. In fact, since 1947, no Pakistani prime minister has completed a full five-year term. Blame it on military coups, assassinations, and forced resignations.
MOHSIN NAQVI STIRS STORM IN PAKISTAN
The interior minister, who also controls the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), had stirred a hornet’s nest with two back-to-back sensational statements.
At the Pakistan Economic Summit, Naqvi declared that the country’s governance system had “collapsed” and called for new provinces to handle the crisis.
A couple of days later, he claimed to have uncovered the “biggest corruption scandal” in Pakistan’s history, allegedly involving judges, bureaucrats and politicians. Significantly, Naqvi promised that “every person responsible” would be prosecuted.
The remarks intensified speculation about whether Pakistan was heading towards a major power shake-up. The next elections in Pakistan are scheduled for 2029.
It also brought into sharp focus an apparent rift between the Sharif government and Naqvi. Notably, Naqvi is not a member of any political party, yet is arguably the most powerful person in the Pakistani government after the prime minister.
Defence minister Khawaja Asif went as far as to assert that Naqvi was a “powerhouse” who is not answerable to anyone.
CLARIFIES ‘SYSTEM COLLAPSE’ REMARK
On Thursday, Naqvi reiterated that the “system has been destroyed” but added that it did not amount to a “chargesheet” against the Sharif government.
Naqvi clarified that he was referring to Pakistan’s “80-year-old (administrative) system”.
“The system that has been in place for the last 80 years is destroyed. If it had been functioning, Pakistan would have reached new heights,” Naqvi said.
The PCB chairperson underlined that he himself was part of the same administration and his remarks were not directed against the present government.
“If you have a prime minister who works 14 to 16 hours a day, and if the current situation improves, the results will be a thousand times better,” he said.
Naqvi further stressed that if the prime minister had operated within a “better system”, he could have taken Pakistan forward “a hundred times more”.
At the same time, Naqvi admitted that “certain individuals” wanted to create differences between him and Shehbaz – a likely reference to Khawaja Asif.
The interior minister’s remarks have jolted a section within the ruling coalition, with several ministers questioning Naqvi’s own credentials. Defence minister Asif led the sharpest attack on Naqvi, advising him to begin the change from his own ministry.
He also claimed that Naqvi attended only 2-3 cabinet meetings and his presence in Parliament has also been rare. Separately, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also demanded the resignation of Naqvi.
Against this backdrop, Naqvi clearing the air on the future of the Shehbaz Sharif government is likely to calm tempers. However, as I have mentioned before, such remarks in Pakistan should be taken with a pinch of salt.
– Ends
