The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has issued a stern warning to the federal government, threatening to withdraw from the coalition over unresolved demands. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi on Sunday, senior MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar declared that the party would move to the opposition benches if its longstanding issues are not addressed promptly.
Dr Sattar emphasized that the party’s 22 lawmakers would formally request the National Assembly speaker to allocate them opposition seats unless key agreements are honored. These include the recovery of missing party workers, the implementation of local government empowerment under Article 140-A, the appointment of the Sindh governor, and an urban development package for Karachi.
He recalled a 2022 agreement between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and MQM-P, which was witnessed and guaranteed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Dr Sattar insisted this was the final warning and urged the prime minister to ensure the accord’s execution without further delay.
As a coalition partner in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz-led federal government, MQM-P also called for the establishment of a separate administrative unit to transfer Karachi’s management to the federal government. Additionally, the party demanded clarity on the status of the Sindh governorship.
Meanwhile, the PPP responded sharply to MQM-P’s threat. Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon condemned the press conference as political blackmail, accusing MQM-P of deflecting responsibility for its own political shortcomings.
Memon criticized the MQM-P’s demand for federal intervention, labeling it a conspiracy against the country’s federal structure. He asserted that the people of Sindh had given a clear democratic mandate to the PPP, which could not be overturned by threats or political tactics. He advised MQM-P to address concerns with its federal allies rather than targeting the provincial government.
The MQM-P currently holds 22 seats in the National Assembly, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s coalition depends heavily on its support to maintain a fragile majority in the lower house of parliament. The party’s potential exit could therefore have significant implications for the government’s stability.
