Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, has fuelled speculation about a fourth military coup in his country. Recent remarks by Naqvi, who reportedly enjoys a very close working relationship and personal ties with Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, have raised questions about the future of the Coalition Government, comprising the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), led by Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif.

Naqvi recently claimed that the government infrastructure completely collapsed in Pakistan, while the administrative machinery crumbled and corruption permeated every level of the government, as well as society. The minister also warned that growing frustration among the country’s youth could spark widespread unrest if the government failed to address unemployment and systemic issues, stating: “Pakistan’s younger generation is focused on long-term progress rather than short-term incentives. Young people want fair opportunities, improved public services and meaningful changes in the system.“

A section of the Pakistani media views his remark as a direct vote of no confidence against the Shahbaz Government. Significantly, Naqvi is not a member of any political party in Pakistan, despite holding a key position like that of the Interior Minister. Many believe that he was elected to the Senate (the Upper House of the Parliament) as an independent candidate from Punjab Province precisely because of his close ties with Field Marshal Munir.

Pakistan witnessed three military coups in 1958, 1977 and 1999, as well as the seizure of power by uniformed dictators, such as Field Marshal Ayub Khan, General Yahya Khan, General Zia-ul-Haq and General Pervez Musharraf. As expected, fears of direct military rule have grown as Pakistan’s powerful military chief consolidates sweeping authority through constitutional changes, lifetime immunity and a hybrid governance model. While civilian leaders remain in office, analysts and citizens view these centralised powers as “martial law by another name“. Field Marshal Munir has already secured control over the nuclear weapon command and control system, in addition to assuming the role of Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces. Against this backdrop, Naqvi stressed that the Army should play a more active role in governance.

Interestingly, Naqvi admitted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was trying hard to boost the national economy, saying: “I have seen Shehbaz Sharif work 12 to 14 hours a day.” However, he stated: “He could even work 18 hours a day, but we are only firefighting. Until you correct the basics of this country while adhering to the spirit of democracy, this will remain the same.“

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), emphasised during media briefings that good governance and the proper discharge of responsibilities by civilian administrative tiers are fundamental prerequisites for national security and stability. At the same time, he hinted that the military, under the leadership of Field Marshal Munir, seeks to further expand its power.

Meanwhile,

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Published by Koushik Das

Koushik Das (born on May 16, 1976 in Kolkata) is a career journalist. Based in the Indian capital of New Delhi, Koushik writes mainly about foreign policies and current geopolitical issues, and rarely about other topics. His own political ideas are highly influenced by Antonio Gramsci, Louis Althusser, Michel Foucault, Michael Oakeshott and others. English philosopher and political theorist Oakeshott (Dec 11, 1901-Dec 19, 1990) says that “in political activity, men sail a boundless and bottomless sea. There is neither harbour for shelter nor floor for anchorage, neither starting-place, nor appointed destination. But we have to keep afloat”. (Rationalism in Politics, 1962) As a student of Political Science, Koushik loves to share his views on issues, which have great impacts on his thought process (and also on India, South Asia and of course on the global community), with his readers through his website – Boundless Ocean of Politics. By doing so, he tries to keep himself afloat. You will find some of his articles in https://inserbia.info/today/ (https://inserbia.info/today/author/kou_das13_i/), as he has been trying to assess the global geopolitics since 2003. You can also mail him at kousdas@gmail.com View all posts by Koushik Das