- CM Murad condemns calls for “breakup of Sindh”.
- Says calls against sentiments of people of Sindh.
- “Stand united for our homeland”: 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.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah tabled the resolution, condemning “divisive statements calling for the breakup of Sindh or the separation of Karachi”.
Speaking on the floor of the House, he said that any attempt to divide Sindh or detach Karachi from the province was contrary to history, constitutional spirit, democratic norms, and the sentiments of the people of Sindh.
“This House unequivocally condemns and rejects any conspiracy aimed at division of Sindh or creation of [a] separate province comprising Karachi,” he added.
The Sindh CM declared that the metropolis “is, and shall forever remain, an integral and inseparable part of Sindh”.
“Today, [Sindh] Assembly has made it clear: Sindh’s unity is sacred. Karachi is inseparable from Sindh — yesterday, today, and forever. We stand united for our homeland,” read a post from the official X account of the Sindh chief minister.
The resolution comes in response to calls made 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 a demand after a deadly blaze at Gul Plaza left over 70 dead and dozens of others injured.
The deadly inferno erupted at the shopping mall on January 17 and took nearly two days to be extinguished. At least 73 people lost their lives, while around 1,200 shops were affected in the blaze.
MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar later urged Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to sack the 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 Centre if the provincial government was unable to fulfil its responsibilities.
