ISLAMABAD: Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Farooq Sattar on Wednesday said that no one will be able to stand in his party’s way if the members decide to demand south Sindh.
Talking to media, the MQM-P head said Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah hurt the sentiments of the people, especially Muhajirs, during his speech in the assembly. The party condemns the CM’s speech, he added.
In a vocal outburst yesterday, CM Shah said that he condemned those who advocated for a separate province in Sindh. “The leader of opposition sent a paper from 1962 which championed the formation of a separate province in Sindh. I very strongly oppose such ideas and anybody who still gives it a second thought needs to get rid of it.”
“He delivered a hate speech on the entire Mohajir community which has met violation and strict reaction in various parts of the province. However, we are instructing our members to be patient,” said Sattar. Taking a jibe at the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Sattar said that Karachi’s heatwave seems to have taken its toll on Shah.
The MQM-P leader demanded Shah’s apology within 48 hours and warned of a protest after the Namaz-e-Taraweeh if the apology isn’t tendered.
Sattar further said that Shah’s predecessors opposed the formation of Pakistan, while the PPP sowed the seeds of a Muhajir province with their attitude. With the language and quota system, the foundation of Sindh division was laid in 1972 while the lands of Karachi and its resources are being looted.
On April 11, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Vice President Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a tweet expressed his party’s support for a separate province of South Punjab. The tweet came before the Junoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz (JPSM) lawmakers joined the party. MNAs and MPAs deflected from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) joined PTI to pursue their ideology.
The party leader expressed his support saying that PTI supports the creation of a separate province of South Punjab and the bifurcation of Punjab on administrative grounds.
Earlier this week on Monday, eight legislators parted ways with the ruling party and also announced launching a mass movement for the sole purpose of making South Punjab a separate province.
Subsequently, ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday said that he was surprised by their newly found love for making South Punjab a separate province. Nawaz claimed that South Punjab has seen plausible development under the leadership of Shehbaz Sharif.