Ayaz Sadiq says Mohsin Naqvi works on assigned tasks

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq said Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi works on the assignments entrusted to him and that every federal minister has a separate role and responsibility, speaking at an event in Lahore.

Sadiq said all ministers were performing their duties and running their ministries according to the responsibilities assigned to them, Minute Mirror reported. On Naqvi, he said the interior minister works on the tasks given to him.

The speaker said he was not concerned with speculation about whether a constitutional amendment was in the pipeline, and that the position would become clear once the government formally introduced any proposed legislation. He said his own role would begin when the government told him the 28th Constitutional Amendment was being introduced. He said he would not describe the proposed amendment as good or bad, because his responsibility was to facilitate the legislative process rather than rule on its merits. He did not confirm whether the government had finalised a proposal or when it might be presented to parliament.

His remarks came after the President House issued a clarification on a meeting between President Asif Ali Zardari and Mohsin Naqvi in Nawabshah on Thursday, which lasted about an hour. A spokesperson said the meeting focused on national security and the evolving regional situation and that no provincial matters were discussed. Sources familiar with the meeting had said the political situation, internal security challenges and proposals on creating new provinces were discussed.

Separately, former minister Daniyal Aziz said on V News that a gap was widening between the PML-N and Naqvi over new provinces, UrduPoint reported. Aziz said the PPP had openly opposed new provinces while the PML-N was also expressing disagreement and using delaying tactics. He cited Ahsan Iqbal as saying the 28th Amendment was not being prepared and smaller provinces were not being created, and Rana Sanaullah as saying he was neither in favour of nor against more provinces. Aziz said parliament was the proper forum for the debate, and asked what position politicians should take on talk shows when the subject had not been brought before the house.