ISLAMABAD – A day after the country’s interior minister Mohsin Naqvi and the military’s spokesperson highlighted the existing governance structure and issues, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif strongly defended the current hybrid governance model, saying there were no signs that the existing system was nearing its end.
Asif said the hybrid arrangement aimed to address governance failures of the past and remains the most practical way to steer the country of 250 million through its political and economic challenges. He dismissed speculation about the government’s future, saying the current setup is stable and will continue.
Calling for greater unity at the highest level, the defence minister said President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and several other senior national leaders should sit together to decide the country’s future direction. He argued that Pakistan’s major challenges can only be resolved through collective decision-making and national consensus.
His remarks came amid ongoing debate over governance that started after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s speech as he flagged nation about existing governance structure, which, according to him, had collapsed. Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit, Naqvi called for sweeping administrative reforms, including the creation of new provinces or administrative units, warning that without fundamental changes the country would continue facing the same problems even a decade from now.
The debate gathered further momentum after ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, during his press conference on Friday, stressed that good governance is needed for Pakistan’s security. He said unresolved national issues point to the need for stronger governance and improved institutional performance.
Responding to recent development, Khawaja Asif drew a distinction between Naqvi’s remarks and the military’s position. He said the interior minister’s comments reflected his personal opinion and carried a political dimension, while agreeing with the DG ISPR’s remarks on improving governance.
Asif also pointed out that Naqvi has been part of the current system for the past three and a half years, adding that the military spokesperson had likewise clarified that the interior minister’s remarks were made in a personal capacity.
The recent statements from interior minister, the military’s spokesperson and the defence minister brought the issue of governance and institutional reforms back into the spotlight, fuelling fresh debate over how Pakistan’s leadership plans to tackle the country’s long-standing political and administrative challenges while maintaining that the current system remains intact.
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