It's not paranoia if they're actually out to get you, and Abdul was clearly aware of A) the international bias against the Empire, with other powers disreguarding its interest and sovergenity in fields other powers clearly got away with, their ambitions on and actual chipping away at its territory, ect. and B) The historical fate of Sultans who tried to impliment reforms effectively, and how it usually triggered disloyalty from state servents. His efforts at rooting out enemies/centeraling authority were as much about preventing another another revolt by provencial governors like what lead to the lose of Egypt, Serbia, was causing problems in Lebanon, ect.