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Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif in Raiwind on Saturday for a key political consultation, as debate over governance reforms and the creation of new provinces continues across the country.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar also attended the meeting at the Sharif family’s Raiwind residence near Lahore.
No official statement was issued after the meeting. However, sources said the participants discussed the country’s overall political situation, government affairs and other key national issues.
The meeting came days after Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi triggered a political debate by calling for an “administrative reset” and the creation of new administrative units and provinces to improve governance.
Speaking at an economic summit in Islamabad earlier this week, Naqvi said Pakistan’s existing governance system had lost its ability to effectively address the country’s challenges.
“The system has collapsed, whether people accept it or not,” he said, arguing that the current administrative structure would continue to produce the same problems unless comprehensive reforms were introduced.
Naqvi proposed an administrative reset, including the creation of new administrative units and provinces, saying such reforms had become unavoidable to improve governance and public service delivery.
His remarks drew mixed reactions from political parties and commentators, with supporters describing them as a discussion on administrative efficiency, while critics questioned the timing and constitutional implications of the proposal.
During a media briefing on Friday, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry was asked about Naqvi’s comments.
The military spokesperson said the interior minister’s remarks reflected his personal opinion and declined to comment on them directly.
He said Naqvi, as a federal minister and member of parliament, had the right to express his views.
Lt Gen Chaudhry stressed that good governance was essential for addressing Pakistan’s challenges and remained a fundamental requirement for ensuring peace, stability and effective implementation of national policies.
He said all political parties had already reached consensus on the 14 points of the National Action Plan, adding that its success depended on improved governance and sustained institutional reforms.
The military spokesperson also noted that Pakistan’s population had increased from around 70 to 80 million in the early 1970s to nearly 250 million today, while the country’s administrative structure had largely remained unchanged.
He added that governance could also be strengthened through greater use of technology and emphasised that political and economic institutions — not the armed forces or police — should resolve governance challenges within the constitutional framework.
The debate intensified on Saturday when Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sindh President Nisar Khuhro strongly criticised Naqvi’s remarks during a press conference.
Khuhro said Naqvi was part of the existing system he had criticised and rejected any proposal to create 22 new provinces, warning that the PPP would oppose such a move.
He noted that under Pakistan’s Constitution, the creation of a new province requires the approval of the relevant provincial assembly by a two-thirds majority.
Khuhro also called for Naqvi to be removed as interior minister, arguing that he should not hold the portfolio while serving as a senator.
The issue of creating new provinces has periodically surfaced in Pakistan’s political discourse, with proponents arguing that smaller administrative units could improve governance and service delivery.
Opponents, however, contend that any such move requires broad political consensus and constitutional amendments, making it one of the country’s most contentious governance issues.
