The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has strongly criticized the Sindh Assembly’s recent resolution declaring Karachi an inseparable part of Sindh, calling it “against the spirit of the Constitution.”
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Bahadurabad headquarters, MQM-P Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui said the Constitution of Pakistan allows the formation of new provinces under Article 239(4).
He was joined by senior party leaders including Mustafa Kamal, Farooq Sattar, Amin ul Haque, Faisal Subzwari, Anis Kaimkhani, Furqan Atiq and Rizwan Babar.
MQM-P’s Constitutional Argument
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui stated that Article 239(4) of the Constitution permits the creation of new provinces, subject to constitutional procedure. He accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of ignoring constitutional provisions.
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“Any issue can be resolved through dialogue,” he said, adding that MQM-P believes in peaceful and democratic struggle.
He also referred to Article 140A of the Constitution, which guarantees local government powers, and alleged that the PPP government in Sindh has failed to fully empower local bodies, including Karachi’s mayor.
MQM-P takes a jab at PPP
The MQM-P chairman claimed that the resolution was passed under “fear” and called it politically motivated. He argued that the PPP supports the creation of new provinces in South Punjab and Hazara but opposes similar discussions in Sindh.
He further said that Sindh is Pakistan’s most multilingual province and that urban areas, especially Karachi, have faced neglect for decades.
Sindh assembly passes resolution against creating Karachi province
“Sindh is the richest province because of Karachi,” he said, while citing Planning Commission data that shows rising poverty levels in the province.
Dr. Siddiqui also remarked that justice ensures peace, not the other way around.
Debate Over Division Narrative
Responding to political criticism, he said MQM-P does not support the idea of “Sindhudesh” and claimed that as long as MQM-P exists, any such demand would remain only a dream.
He also criticized Jamaat-e-Islami for supporting the Sindh Assembly resolution, questioning its position on provincial autonomy.
Political Context
The statement comes a day after the Sindh Assembly passed a majority resolution rejecting any move to separate Karachi from Sindh.
The resolution reaffirmed that under Article 239 of the 1973 Constitution, no provincial boundaries can be changed without the consent of two-thirds of the concerned provincial assembly.
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The debate highlights ongoing political tensions between MQM-P and PPP over governance, local government powers, and Karachi’s administrative status.
While PPP maintains that Karachi is constitutionally and historically part of Sindh, MQM-P argues that constitutional provisions allow discussion on administrative restructuring if carried out through legal and democratic means.
The issue of new provinces has surfaced periodically in Pakistan’s political history, including debates on South Punjab and Hazara, but no new province has been created since the 1973 Constitution.
