Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami Says Mohsin Naqvi Needs Support, Not Intimidation

LAHORE: Senior journalist and political analyst Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami has said that many government ministers are overly fearful and often overreact to rumors, adding that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi should be encouraged rather than intimidated.

Speaking on a private television talk show, Shami said a wave of speculation had recently spread across electronic and social media claiming that four federal ministers—Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, and Muhammad Aurangzeb—were about to be removed from the federal cabinet.

He dismissed the reports, saying the idea that removing these ministers would improve the government’s performance was unrealistic. He compared it to removing a person’s heart, liver, and kidneys and then expecting them to function better, arguing that the four ministers are among the government’s key decision-makers and play a central role in the administration.

Shami said the rumors ultimately proved unfounded and described the episode as little more than speculation.

Commenting on Mohsin Naqvi’s recent remarks, Shami said the Interior Minister had never claimed that the government had failed. Instead, he said, Naqvi had referred to the overall functioning of the state system, which includes the legislature, judiciary, bureaucracy, and security institutions.

He argued that the current system requires “fine-tuning” and stressed that every institution should perform its constitutional responsibilities within its own mandate. According to Shami, this would also help end recurring debates over whether different institutions are operating “on the same page.”

The senior analyst said democracy is fundamentally about empowering citizens and transferring authority through democratic institutions. He maintained that Naqvi’s comments should be viewed as observations about improving governance rather than criticism of the government.

Shami also called for reducing political interference in the civil administration and granting greater operational autonomy to the police. He urged political parties and leaders to resolve differences through dialogue instead of attempting to undermine one another.

He added that all stakeholders should work together as a team to implement necessary reforms, noting that every governance system has room for improvement.

Praising Mohsin Naqvi’s work ethic, Shami described him as a hardworking and energetic minister, saying that while people may disagree with his views, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had appointed him to the Interior Ministry based on his abilities.

Asked about the future of the federal government, Shami expressed the opinion that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is likely to complete his constitutional term.