Federal Minister for Health Syed Mustafa Kamal reaffirmed on Saturday that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) remains firm in its stance on establishing new administrative provinces, proposing that Sindh be divided into three parts to improve governance and resource management.
Addressing a press conference in Karachi after inaugurating Pakistan’s first International Travellers Vaccination Centre, Kamal questioned the resistance to dividing Sindh into three administrative units. He suggested naming them Sindh 1, Sindh 2, and Sindh 3, emphasizing that the division should not be based on linguistic lines but rather on decentralizing power and resources to empower local communities.
“Our opposition is to any linguistic division,” Kamal clarified, underscoring MQM-P’s commitment to creating additional provinces to facilitate better administration.
His comments come shortly after the Sindh Assembly passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to divide the province or create new administrative units. The resolution, presented by PPP leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, categorically opposed the division of Sindh, declaring the province indivisible and rejecting any plan to place parts of it under federal control.
During the assembly debate, PPP leader Saeed Ghani expressed support for new provinces if decided by other provincial assemblies, such as Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but firmly opposed such changes in Sindh. Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon also emphasized that decisions on new provinces must be made by the respective provincial assemblies in line with the Constitution.
Kamal cited Karachi’s division into seven districts as an example, questioning whether this had caused any fragmentation of the city. He criticized the current health and sanitation systems, describing them as commercialized, and highlighted the widespread lack of clean drinking water from Karachi to Kashmore.
“While efforts are underway to prevent a third world war, children continue to die from dog bites,” he remarked, drawing attention to public health challenges.
Defending his tenure as Karachi’s mayor, Kamal highlighted projects such as the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital and water supply schemes. Responding to his emotional reaction over the death of newborns in a fire at PIMS, he stated that his anger was a human response to injustice, asserting that failing to react would be hypocritical.
He also challenged critics to present any evidence of corruption against him, noting that no corruption case has been filed in the past two decades.
The vaccination centre Kamal inaugurated at the Federal Government Dispensary at the airport will offer immunizations for international travelers, including meningitis and flu vaccines. Vaccination records will be integrated into the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) system, and travelers will receive computerized certificates.
The centre operates on a cashless, digitized platform aimed at eliminating fake vaccination certificates, which were previously sold for Rs4,000 to Rs5,000. Meningitis vaccination certificates are mandatory for pilgrims traveling for Hajj and Umrah. The system will also maintain data on passengers denied boarding for medical reasons.
The debate over creating new federating units has persisted in political circles for several months, though no official proposals have been finalized. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently accused the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of a double standard, noting its flexibility toward a Saraiki province in Punjab while opposing similar proposals in Sindh.
Asif emphasized that devolution of power is unavoidable, criticizing the incomplete implementation of the 18th Amendment’s principles. He suggested that Pakistan’s 36 divisions could serve as administrative units or that alternative arrangements could be developed.
Media reports have speculated on proposals ranging from eight to as many as 30 provinces, but no formal plan has been announced.
