Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar has issued a stern warning of street protests and a shift to opposition benches if the federal government does not execute the 18-point Karachi development agreement signed with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 2022.
Speaking at a press conference, Sattar emphasized that despite repeated reminders, the agreement endorsed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari remains unimplemented. He highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who acted as a guarantor and witness to the pact, must now take responsibility to ensure its enforcement.
“This is the final warning — failure to meet our demands will lead MQM-P to protest,” Sattar declared, urging the prime minister to personally intervene. He clarified that the agreement represented MQM-P’s last accord with PPP, focusing solely on Karachi’s development without requesting any administrative powers.
The senior leader insisted that all 18 points of the agreement must be fully implemented without exception. He further cautioned that if their demands were ignored, MQM-P’s National Assembly members would formally request to join the opposition benches. “Our request to the Speaker could be submitted any day now,” he noted, stressing that the people of Karachi should not be denied their rights later; if obstruction is to occur, it should happen immediately.
Sattar also criticized the ongoing quota system, stating that MQM-P has long opposed it and that only 60% of their entitled quota share has been allocated. He accused the government of awarding jobs meant for MQM-P’s quota to individuals holding fake domiciles.
He condemned the government for operating beyond constitutional and legal boundaries and urged the federal authorities to fulfill their constitutional duties. Sattar proposed that passing a local government law would address many of Karachi’s problems and called on the prime minister to visit Karachi for a four-day stay to better understand the city’s issues.
In a significant development, he suggested holding a referendum to establish Karachi as a separate administrative unit within the federation, clarifying that this was not a call for governor’s rule. Additionally, Sattar demanded the restoration of MQM-P’s governorship, noting that PPP had denied involvement in the governor’s removal — a claim MQM-P is seeking a clear explanation for.
He concluded by emphasizing Karachi’s diverse population, representing speakers of every language in Pakistan, and asserted that its residents deserve their fundamental rights. “Everyone in this country is suffering and deprived of basic civic rights,” he said, underscoring the urgency of addressing Karachi’s challenges.
