Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has instructed the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to immediately identify and remove foreigners who have illegally obtained Pakistani citizenship from the national database.

The Pakistan Super League 2026 will commence on March 26 with matches limited to Karachi and Lahore and played behind closed doors due to regional tensions, while players are warned against joining the IPL.

LAHORE: The Ministry of Interior, in collaboration with finance ministry, on Tuesday, announced launching a massive crackdown on money-laundering and hawala/hundi networks across the country. A joint working group comprising the officials of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will be formed to regularly review the progress made in this regard. A meeting held under the joint chairmanship of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Federal Minister f...

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday summoned Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi over the delay in local government elections in the federal capital. The term of the last local government in Islamabad expired in February 2021, and since then, elections have been delayed under various pretexts. As a result, around 2.5 million residents of Islamabad continue to face issues ranging from water shortages to unpaved streets. A five-member ECP bench — headed by Chief Election...

THE controversy surrounding the medical care, or lack thereof, given to incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has shone a harsh spotlight on the intersection of politics and basic human rights in today’s Pakistan. Speaking on Tuesday, the interior minister accused the jailed leader’s sister, Aleema Khan, of “delaying” Mr Khan’s medical checkup for three days, allegedly so she could ‘do politics’ over his health. “Alm­ost all political leaders were on board, but Aleema Khan sahiba vetoed them,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi claimed. According to the minister, her insistence that Mr Khan’s checkup and treatment be conducted under specific circumstances was merely a means to keep the matter of his deteriorating health alive for as long as possible. But while the opposition TTAP alliance quickly dismissed Mr Naqvi’s statement as “blatantly misleading and contrary to the facts”, remarks made by some PTI leaders regarding Mr Naqvi’s role and their interactions with the government seemed to partially endorse it. Mr Khan’s sisters later made a set of counterclaims in their own press conference, presenting a very different picture compared to the interior minister’s version of events. According to them, their brother was “not fine”. They recalled he was not given prompt treatment when he flagged his eye condition some three months ago to jail authorities. They also claimed that the government had reneged on its promises to transfer Mr Khan to a private hospital and to grant the family access to the doctors nominated by it. From where things stand, it is very difficult to ascertain how much of what each party says is true. Clearly, there is significant disagreement within the PTI camp concerning the right course of action regarding Imran Khan’s health, with some leaders seemingly willing to trust the government’s handling of his condition, while others, especially his family, insist on personal oversight. That said, the government is also not without blame for how it has mismanaged the jailed leader’s health. It may be recalled that officials had initially denied that anything was wrong with Mr Khan, and the truth only came out after information regarding his visit to Pims in Islamabad was leaked to the press. By mishandling its communications on the matter, the government itself gave good reason for the family to doubt it can promise the former prime minister’s well-being, and it cannot now blame his sisters for wanting more oversight over his treatment by doctors they trust. Therefore, while the PTI and Mr Khan’s family need to firmly decide what it is that they want, the government must also respect their wishes and ensure much greater transparency in how it is dealing with Mr Khan’s ailment. It must also ensure his sons can visit him. No one’s health should be held hostage to political bickering. Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2026

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has instructed NADRA to assist law enforcement agencies in the deportation of illegal immigrants, emphasizing the removal of those who unlawfully obtained citizenship from the national database.

President Asif Ali Zardari met with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui in Karachi to discuss political harmony and unity.

Pakistan's interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, briefed the Prime Minister on successful talks in Rome and Poland, securing work permits and visa waivers for Pakistanis. The discussions also led to a reported 47% decrease in illegal migration to Europe.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zedong discussed counter-terrorism, security cooperation, and plans for an investor conference, strengthening bilateral ties and police exchange programs.

The Mohsin Naqvi-led Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) faces scrutiny following former head coach Gary Kirsten's abrupt departure, who cited excessive external interference as the primary reason.

According to the Presidency, participants also exchanged views on the overall internal security situation

(LEFT) PHF President Tariq Hussain Bugti announces his resignation; while, PCB Chairman and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi meets players from the national team.—Dawn • PM accepts Tariq Bugti’s resignation, Wani named interim president • Outgoing chief imposes two-year ban on captain Ammad Butt before quitting • PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi meets players, hands ‘compensation’ cheques • PSB blames PHF for mismanagement; Bugti alleges board delayed payments • Shake-up follows Australia tour fiasco, when players were left without hotel upon arrival LAHORE / ISLAMABAD: Amid a deepening crisis in Pakistan hockey, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday accepted the resignation of Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) President Tariq Hussain Bugti and appointed Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) Federal Secretary Mohiy­uddin Ahmed Wani as ad-hoc president of the federation. The premier also accepted the resignations of PHF Secretary Rana Mujahid and Treasurer Shahid Pervaiz Bhandara. Their replacements had not been announced until late Thursday night. The developments came amid controversy over the national team’s tour of Australia for the FIH Pro League, where accommodation arrangements could not be secured on time, forcing players to spend several hours on the road. The team’s overall performance in the Pro League also came under criticism. In addition, PHF elections had been facing delays. Mr Bugti had been appointed by interim prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar to hold elections but did not complete the process during his tenure. Similarly, in his tenure, Mr Bugti-led PHF was accused of inaction over alleged corruption, pointed out by the Auditor General of Pakistan. There are more than 100 audit paras related to the PHF, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has been probing the matter for over a year. Speaking after his appointment, Mr Wani said the governance mechanism of the PHF would be improved. “In the next six weeks, we will prepare a business plan for the PHF and take steps to run this federation on professional grounds,” he said. He added that IPC would form a working group with all sports boards and education bodies to focus on grassroots development and that international trainers and coaches would also be engaged. “There is no shortage of resources, but the PHF is facing financial management issues. We will work on this,” he said, adding that he would ensure free, fair and transparent elections. “Hockey, being the national game, is close to our hearts and we will take every possible step to bring positive change,” he said. National captain ‘banned’ Earlier on Thursday, before the prime minister’s decision, Mr Bugti announced his resignation, but not before imposing a two-year ban on national captain Ammad Shakeel Butt, citing findings of a committee regarding alleged misconduct. “I received a message (from a certain quarter) and I am resigning from the post as it is not a big issue. Had the prime minister asked me six months earlier, I would have left,” Mr Bugti said, appealing to the prime minister and Field Marshal Asim Munir to constitute an independent committee to probe the entire episode. He said he was ready to face any punishment if found responsible. However, shortly after Mr Bugti’s resignation, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi met the hockey players, including Ammad Butt and Hanan Shahid. In a message on X, Mr Naqvi said: “I am not becoming Hockey Federation President but we will assist players till this turmoil ends.” Talking to the media after the meeting, Mr Butt said Mr Naqvi directed that a training camp be set up in Lahore from Friday for the World Cup qualifiers to be held in Egypt and that immediate steps be taken to hire foreign coaches. Mr Butt said former Pakistan coach Roelant Oltmans had been contacted and might join the team directly in Egypt. On the reported two-year ban, Mr Butt said Mr Naqvi told him there was no ban and that the same team which toured Australia would travel to Egypt. The ban had reportedly been imposed under the PHF constitution, raising questions over the process for its reversal. The PCB later issued a statement confirming Mr Naqvi’s meeting with the players and announcing that cheques of Rs1,000,000 had been distributed to each member of the national team, which took second position in the last six international tournaments. The cricket board said Mr Naqvi had assured full cooperation in streamlining the affairs of the players and confirmed that tickets, hotel accommodation and kits would be arranged for the World Cup qualifying round. Outgoing PHF president Mr Bugti told Dawn that arrangements for the qualifiers had already been made through a grant from the Balochistan government. PSB-PHF blame game Meanwhile, the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) issued a statement rejecting allegations levelled by the PHF and placing responsibility for the Australia tour’s mismanagement on the federation. The PSB said it had fulfilled all financial obligations for the FIH Pro League Phase 2 in Hobart and made timely payments. It alleged that the PHF had submitted visa applications late and with incomplete information, delaying the team’s departure from Feb 2 to Feb 5. According to the PSB, it bore Rs27.1 million in air ticket expenses and an additional Rs9.7m burden caused by the visa delays. It said that, at the PHF’s request, an advance of 49,280 Australian dollars was issued for hotel accommodation, along with daily allowances of USD 1,610 per player and USD 3,000 for miscellaneous expenses. The PSB also stated that while the PHF had sought a total grant of Rs350m for the Pro League, the government approved Rs250m, with the remaining amount to be arranged by the federation. It alleged that most of the PSB’s grant had been spent on salaries and foreign tours of PHF officials, prompting the board to stop issuing direct grants. In contrast, Mr Bugti had alleged that the PSB failed to make timely payments for hotel bookings and criticised the formation of a probe committee comprising PSB officials. He also urged the formation of a Pakistan Hockey Board and the transfer of stadium control to the PHF to generate funds. Meanwhile, Hockey legend Shahbaz Ahmed Senior, who had opposed Pakistan’s participation in the Pro League, said the national game deserved special treatment from the government. He criticised the heavy expenditure on the league and said the funds should have been directed towards grassroots development in schools, colleges and districts. Pakistan, a four-time World Cup winner and three-time Olympic champion, has faced a prolonged decline in international hockey over the past 30 years, amid repeated allegations of poor administration and negligence in the PHF officialdom, non-existent planning and upgrading, sheer lack of accountability, nepotism and a high frequency of changes in the federation. Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2026