A delegation from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) held discussions with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday, presenting a series of budget proposals. Central to their demands was a special development package aimed at Karachi and Hyderabad.
The delegation was led by party convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and included prominent members Farooq Sattar, Aminul Haque, and Javed Hanif. Senior federal ministers Rana Sanaullah and Ahsan Iqbal also participated in the meeting.
During the talks, MQM-P emphasized the need for focused development initiatives in Sindh’s major urban centers. They called for accelerated progress on the ML-1 railway project connecting Karachi and Rohri, proposing it be fast-tracked. Additionally, the party advocated for the construction of a motorway linking Karachi and Hyderabad to enhance regional connectivity.
Further proposals included improving links between Karachi Port and Hyderabad as part of a comprehensive regional development strategy. The delegation highlighted the urgency of resolving persistent urban infrastructure challenges in these cities.
On the political front, MQM-P requested the reinstatement of the office of Governor Kamran Tessori and pushed for the prompt introduction of a constitutional amendment concerning the local government system. Notably, the Prime Minister expressed in-principle agreement on the constitutional amendment and agreed to collaborate with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on this matter.
The delegation also sought a 25 percent salary increase in the upcoming budget. It was agreed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and MQM-P would jointly present these key proposals to the PPP during broader budget consultations.
