Karachi: Farooq Sattar calls for new administrative units and stronger local governments

KARACHI: MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar has called for the creation of new administrative units and a stronger local government system, saying greater devolution of power could improve governance and help resolve people’s problems.

Speaking at a seminar organised by the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations on Saturday, Sattar said Karachi’s conditions had deteriorated to the point that they were worse than those of Mohenjo-Daro.

He said around 40 million people were living in difficult conditions in the city and questioned how investment could increase without improving Karachi’s infrastructure and governance.

“Proposals for the establishment of new provinces have been made on many occasions in the past,” Sattar said, arguing that powers should be transferred to lower levels of government to improve administration.

He referred to Article 140 of the Constitution, which provides for the establishment and strengthening of local governments and the devolution of political, administrative and financial responsibility to elected local representatives.

Sattar said every division and district should receive greater administrative authority. He argued that new administrative units could bring government services closer to citizens while improving accountability.

According to the MQM leader, creating new administrative units would not alter the geographical boundaries of existing provinces. Instead, he said, the arrangement could help resolve public problems at their doorstep and strengthen governance mechanisms.

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Sattar also proposed holding a public referendum on the creation of new administrative units, saying such a process could determine public support for administrative reforms across Pakistan.

He described the demand for new administrative units as a voice emerging from Karachi and said broader political and administrative reforms were necessary to address longstanding problems.

Sattar said Pakistan possessed substantial mineral resources but needed political and administrative reforms to translate those resources into economic progress.

He also described Pakistan’s recent diplomatic achievements as significant and said the country now needed to focus on strengthening its economy.

The MQM leader further said his party had introduced reforms within its own organisation, while broader reforms in Pakistan’s political and administrative system remained necessary.

Sattar’s remarks come amid renewed political debate over the creation of new provinces and administrative units, with various political groups presenting proposals on how power and resources should be distributed more effectively.