- CM Murad condemns calls for “dissolution of Sindh”.
- Says appeals against sentiments of people of Sindh.
- “Stand united for our motherland”: Sindh CM.
KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Saturday passed a resolution rejecting any move to carve out Karachi as a separate province, declaring the metropolis an “integral part” of Sindh.
Presenting the resolution, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah condemned “divisive statements calling for disintegration of Sindh or separation of Karachi”.
Addressing the Parliament, he said that any attempt to separate Sindh or detach Karachi from the province was against the history, constitutional spirit, democratic norms and the sentiments of the people of Sindh.
“This House unequivocally condemns and rejects any conspiracy aimed at the partition of Sindh or the creation of [a] separate province consisting of Karachi,” he added.
The Sindh CM declared that the metropolis “is, and shall forever remain, an integral and inseparable part of Sindh”.
“Today, [Sindh] The assembly has made it clear: the unity of Sindh is sacrosanct. Karachi is inseparable from Sindh – yesterday, today and forever. We stand united for our motherland,” read a post from the Sindh Chief Minister’s official X account.
The resolution comes in response to calls by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) to declare Karachi a federal territory under Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi on January 22, MQM-P leader and federal health minister Mustafa Kamal made the demand after a deadly fire at Gul Plaza left over 70 dead and scores of others injured.
The deadly inferno broke out at the mall on January 17 and took almost two days to put out. At least 73 people lost their lives, while around 1,200 shops were affected by the fire.
MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar later called on Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to sack Sindh CM, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and senior minister Sharjeel Inam Memon over the Gul Plaza tragedy.
He demanded that Karachi be handed over to the Center if the provincial government was unable to fulfill its obligations.
