Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain has demanded that Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, South Waziristan and Gilgit-Baltistan should be made separate provinces.
On the other hand, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Saturday asserted that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) would not let Karachi become a separate province.
Talking to reporters at the convocation of a private varsity in Sukkur, Shah said that PPP believed in the unity of Sindh. “Altaf Hussain used to call him son of Sindh, while Asif Ali Zardari had referred to him [MQM chief] as a comparatively newer inhabitant of the province,” he reminded.
In reaction to Shah’s statement, MQM leader Nadeem Nusrat said that the province was demanded by the participants of a political gathering in Karachi. “Following the demand, Altaf Hussain had pressed for the formation of new administrative units in all provinces, not just in Sindh. Had the chief minister resolved the issues of urban Sindh, then people would not need to demand for a new province,” he clarified.
Earlier, addressing a large number of party workers at Jinnah Ground to celebrate party’s victory in NA-246 by-poll, the MQM chief had said that the “people of Karachi seek a separate province for themselves”. He said that there was a need for more provinces in the country, especially in areas dominated by the Hazara and Siraiki speaking people.
The MQM chief asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to deliver justice, especially to the people of Karachi, adding that if he fails to do so, he should resign from his office.
He also alleged that Rangers took recourse to illegal and unconstitutional undertakings at polling stations on the election day. “No one but Allah can trammel rangers if they commit a wrongdoing,” he added.
He claimed that the party would have bagged 250,000 votes had the polling time been extended, however, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) hampered the move.
Lavishing laurels on the workers, the MQM chief congratulated them and highlighted that the workers put up an undaunted show in the face of troubles, ordeals and hurdles.
“Biased analysts” said the MQM’s vote graph is on a downward trajectory but the people proved them wrong by repudiating all false charges levelled against the party, he said.
Hussain also urged the Establishment to end brawl with MQM, which he said is “without any reason”.
