LAHORE, Aug 06 (Alliance News): Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said the present government would complete its full five-year constitutional term, while calling for an independent performance audit of all federal ministries.
In an interview with Geo News, Naqvi said he would recommend to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif that the performance of all federal cabinet ministers be evaluated by an independent third party, with the findings made public.
He said such an assessment would clearly identify ministries that were performing well and those that required improvement.
Referring to recent comments that sparked political debate, Naqvi reiterated his view that Pakistan’s governance system had deteriorated over decades, clarifying that his remarks referred to the decline of the administrative system over the past 80 years rather than criticism of the current government.
He rejected the impression that he had issued a charge sheet against the government, saying he was himself part of the administration and remained committed to improving governance.
Naqvi praised Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, saying the premier worked between 14 and 16 hours a day and had achieved significant progress despite systemic challenges.
He said the government had improved revenue collection by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), secured diplomatic achievements and made progress in other key areas, adding that stronger institutions would further accelerate national development.
The interior minister also dismissed speculation about differences with the prime minister, saying reports of any rift were unfounded.
Naqvi’s earlier remarks that Pakistan’s governance system had “collapsed” and required fundamental reforms had drawn reactions from members of the ruling coalition.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif urged Naqvi to initiate reforms within the Interior Ministry, saying implementation of governance reforms should begin from institutions under his own ministry.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah also responded, defending Pakistan’s parliamentary democratic system and stressing that any debate on institutional reforms should take place through constitutional and democratic forums.
