KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to carve out Karachi as a separate province, declaring the metropolis an integral part of Sindh.
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The resolution was tabled by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who strongly condemned what he described as divisive statements advocating the breakup of the province or the separation of Karachi.
Addressing lawmakers, the chief minister said any attempt to divide Sindh or detach Karachi would be against historical realities, constitutional principles, democratic values, and the sentiments of the province’s people. He stated that the assembly unequivocally rejected any conspiracy aimed at creating a separate province comprising Karachi.
Declaring the city inseparable from Sindh, the chief minister said the assembly had sent a clear message that the unity of the province was sacred and non-negotiable, urging citizens to remain united for their homeland.
The resolution followed demands by Muttahida Qaumi Movement–Pakistan (MQM-P), which had called for Karachi to be declared a federal territory under constitutional provisions. The demand was reiterated by party leader and Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal during a press conference earlier this year.
The call came after a devastating fire at Gul Plaza in January that claimed more than 70 lives and injured dozens, with the blaze taking nearly two days to extinguish and affecting around 1,200 shops.
Following the incident, MQM-P senior leader Farooq Sattar urged Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party, to remove key provincial officials, including Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon, over the tragedy.
He also argued that administrative control of Karachi should be handed to the federal government if the provincial administration failed to address governance and safety challenges.
The provincial government, however, maintained that Karachi’s constitutional and historical status within Sindh remains unquestionable, reaffirming its commitment to preserving the province’s territorial unity.
