Governance system has collapsed: Naqvi

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday called for the creation of additional administrative units or provinces to overhaul the country's outdated governance system, stressing that meaningful structural reforms were essential to ensure justice and create opportunities for young people.

He urged all political parties to forge a consensus on major constitutional and governance issues and warned that the country would remain trapped in recurring crises without a structural change.

Addressing the Pakistan Economic Summit 2026 in Islamabad, Naqvi argued that Pakistan's current governance model had effectively "collapsed" after decades of failing to deliver, adding that decentralisation was essential to improve public services, ensure timely justice and create opportunities for a new generation of leaders.

He also cautioned that the aspirations of young people could not be addressed through token financial assistance, saying they were demanding merit-based employment, justice and equal opportunities rather than stipends or gadgets.

Referring to a term that has recently been used for Gen-Z in the wake of student protests in India, Naqvi remarked that if these "cockroaches" united, "they can turn everything upside down".

The minister said traders and business leaders from Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other parts of the country had shared both their challenges and the economic opportunities available in Pakistan during the summit.

"I believe the people responsible for bringing Pakistan to its current state are sitting in this hall," he said, adding that if a system had failed to function effectively for 70 to 80 years, there must be fundamental flaws in its design.

Reflecting on his experience in politics over the past three years, Naqvi said little would change unless the governance structure itself was reformed.

"Whether you agree or not, the system we have been living under has collapsed."

He predicted that even a decade from now the same discussions would continue unless structural reforms were undertaken.

Although describing himself as "the biggest supporter" of democracy, Naqvi argued that democracy itself encompassed several models of governance.

"We all want democracy. I am the biggest supporter of democracy and will remain so. But there are five or six systems within democracy. Yet we insist that no matter what happens, we must continue dragging along the same one."

He pointed to policy failures, saying Pakistan remained dependent on imported agricultural products, including wheat, despite being an agricultural country.

Naqvi also acknowledged the long working hours of government officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but said their efforts amounted largely to crisis management.

"I have seen Shehbaz Sharif work 12 to 14 hours a day. He could even work 18 hours a day, but we are only firefighting."

He maintained that even internationally recognised diplomatic achievements would remain temporary unless the country's institutional foundations were reformed.

"Until you correct the basics of this country while adhering to the spirit of democracy, this will remain the same."

Calling on representatives of chambers of commerce and industry to play a more active role, Naqvi argued that the business community was deeply intertwined with the country's political system.

He noted that business leaders regularly financed political candidates before elections and therefore shared responsibility for sustaining the existing political order.

"One gives funding of Rs500 million before elections, or the other gives Rs100 million or Rs50 million."

He added that once the business community collectively decided to support systemic reform, meaningful change would become possible.

While acknowledging that not every aspect of the existing system was flawed, Naqvi said ordinary citizens continued to struggle for basic public services, effective engagement with government institutions and timely justice despite the establishment of new courts. "The solution is only one."

He said governance had to be decentralised through the creation of new administrative units or provinces. "You will have to take [the matter of] administrative units, provinces or whatever you may call it, to the public."

"Unless units are made and they take ownership, and a new leadership comes, this will not happen."

Naqvi stressed that young people were not seeking welfare handouts but fair opportunities.

"We think giving youngsters stipends of a few thousand rupees a month or tablets will make them happy, but ask them what they really want."

According to the minister, the youth sought only a merit-based system, equal employment opportunities and transparent recruitment for public-sector jobs. "We are not able to give the youth that."

Returning to his controversial analogy, Naqvi said: "If these 'Cockroaches' get united, they can turn everything upside down."

He argued that the state should address their aspirations before frustration boiled over.

"Their only demand is merit-based jobs and employment opportunities. They are not asking you for tablets or a few thousand rupees every month."

Naqvi also said Pakistani youth had the potential to earn between $2,000 and $4,000 per month if provided with the right opportunities.

Turning to the country's finances, the minister likened the federal government's fiscal position to a household already burdened with debt at the beginning of every month.

"The condition of this federal government is such that we make our budgets in the negative, and we discuss how much debt we have to incur this year." "[...] We will take more debts, but we will not correct things."

He said political parties across the spectrum were fully aware of the country's structural challenges but had repeatedly failed to address them.

Naqvi urged all political stakeholders to negotiate a comprehensive reform agenda.

"All political parties should sit together in a single room, whether for a day, a month or a year. They will have to settle every issue of their country, including new units and provinces."

"Unless they do so, unless they sit together and change this, this country will remain in the same condition, regardless of how many seminars and functions you hold."

Concluding his address, the interior minister questioned why members of the business community preferred financing politicians to entering politics themselves.

"Why don't businessmen enter politics? You are willing to fund politicians, but consider entering politics yourselves to be something shameful. You will have to stand up for yourselves."