Mustafa Kamal, leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), issued a warning on Sunday that a constitutional amendment regarding the creation of new provinces would be introduced without the knowledge of Prime Minister’s adviser on political and public affairs, Rana Sanaullah. This statement came a day after Sanaullah claimed that the establishment had not yet consulted the government on the provinces issue, and that it had not been discussed in either the cabinet or parliament.
Speaking on the programme ‘Naya Pakistan’, Kamal, who also serves as the federal minister for health and national services, pointed out that neither the 26th nor the 27th constitutional amendments were deliberated in the cabinet before their enactment. He challenged Sanaullah to clarify if those amendments had been preceded by cabinet discussions. Kamal further urged the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to express its dissatisfaction where the issue originated, adding that those responsible for previous amendments would likely push this one through as well.
In a significant development earlier that day, MQM-P Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, accompanied by Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal at a press conference in Karachi, called for a national dialogue on the formation of new provinces. He argued that Pakistan’s current administrative framework no longer reflects the country’s demographic realities or governance needs. Siddiqui appealed to political parties to transcend partisan differences and reach a consensus on administrative reforms, emphasizing that the matter should be resolved through inclusive national discussions rather than political confrontation.
Siddiqui noted that support for the proposal was expanding across the political spectrum and stated that MQM-P was ready to engage all stakeholders to develop a framework for new provinces where necessary. He highlighted that Pakistan’s provinces were originally established based on linguistic lines but had since grown into large administrative units. Successive governments had created numerous districts without addressing the broader issue of provincial reorganization. He stressed the importance of discussing the consequences of not creating new provinces.
Meanwhile, Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah dismissed the MQM-P press conference, suggesting that Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui appeared to be under significant mental strain. Shah described MQM-P’s leadership as angry and frustrated during their public appearances, interpreting this as a sign of political isolation and helplessness. He asserted that MQM-P’s leaders were neither elected by Karachi’s populace nor true representatives of the city, claiming that the people of Karachi had already rejected them. Shah firmly stated that Sindh would not be divided, but predicted that MQM itself might split. He added that Karachi’s residents supported the PPP’s vision of love, peace, and progress.
Shah further accused MQM-P of holding the city’s people, trade, peace, and prosperity hostage rather than the province itself. He referred to Farooq Sattar as the “12th player” in the fragmented MQM, indicating the party’s lack of unity.
In a related statement, Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani urged MQM-P not to spread hatred in Sindh out of spite towards the PPP. He welcomed any constitutional pursuit of a new province if it reflected the will of Sindh’s people but warned that no outsider should impose such a decision if the majority opposed it.
Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed criticized MQM-P’s push for new provinces as a last-ditch effort at political survival. She accused Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of misleading the public by presenting only partial truths about the Constitution.
