As political heat rises, Nawaz chairs key PML-N huddle
Amid mounting speculation over the creation of new administrative units, senior PML-N leaders held an important meeting at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Jati Umrah residence to discuss the country's political situation and the fallout from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections.
The meeting, chaired by Nawaz, was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, in accordance with the government's official order of precedence.
According to reports, the country's overall political situation came under detailed discussion, particularly political rivalries in the run-up to the AJK elections.
During the meeting, Nawaz Sharif advised party leaders to keep political differences free of personal animosity amid the ongoing exchange of accusations with the PPP over alleged rigging in the AJK elections.
He said disagreements should remain confined to political narratives and positions. He also said that the PML-N had always addressed the grievances of its allies.
The official press release issued after the meeting remained silent on the issue of creating additional administrative units, a proposal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently floated after describing the existing governance system as having collapsed.
His remarks have been viewed by some observers as an implicit criticism of the government of which he is a member.
While the PPP, through Sindh Provincial Minister Saeed Ghani, has partially made its position public, the PML-N has yet to announce an official stance on the proposal.
Two Punjab provincial ministers, responding to questions during a recent press conference, said the party had not yet deliberated on the issue.
According to a PML-N insider, Naqvi's recent statement has sent shockwaves through the party and beyond, particularly because of the manner in which he articulated his position.
The source said the meeting of party elders at Jati Umrah was expected to bring some clarity on the issue, at least within party circles.
The insider further said both the PML-N and PPP stood to lose the most under the proposal, arguing that accepting it in its current form would effectively confine both parties to specific regions. However, rejecting it outright also did not appear to be a viable option, leaving the PML-N "between the devil and the deep sea."
The Express Tribune contacted party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb several times to seek the PML-N's position on the issue and also sent her a written message, but received no response.
Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal, while speaking to The Express Tribune, said he could not comment in his official capacity as the party's secretary general until the PML-N formally announced its position.
However, speaking in his personal capacity, Iqbal said the existing governance system should first be allowed to function in its entirety before concluding whether it had failed.
He said the current administrative structure lacked its third tier of government, undermining the objectives of the 18th Constitutional Amendment.
According to Iqbal, the 18th Amendment devolved 17 subjects to the provinces, but provincial governments subsequently concentrated those powers in their capitals instead of passing them on to local governments.
As a result, he said, the third tier of governance remained absent, adversely affecting the delivery of services and social sector indicators. He said Pakistan required strong and empowered district governments across all 160 districts.
When asked why provincial governments, including the PML-N government in Punjab, had failed to devolve powers further, Iqbal said the bureaucracy had convinced elected governments that empowering local governments would weaken provincial control.
In reality, he said, it was the bureaucracy that feared losing its own authority and powers to local governments.
He described it as shortsighted for provinces to attempt to administer everything from provincial capitals, saying it was impossible to effectively govern Sindh from Karachi, Punjab from Lahore, Balochistan from Quetta and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa from Peshawar.
Citing an example, he said even minor administrative matters, such as appointments of Class-IV employees, were routed through provincial secretaries.
Iqbal rejected the assertion that the governance system had collapsed, saying anyone who believed so should visit Narowal to see the development work carried out there.
Asked whether Mohsin Naqvi would be summoned to explain his remarks before the prime minister, Iqbal said the decision rested solely with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.