KARACHI (News Desk) – The Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) traditional demand for a separate province reemerged during budget debates at the Sindh Assembly, when the party’s lawmaker Muhammad Hussain warned that the MQM would be compelled to demand a separate province if the PPP-led Sindh government failed to assuage its concerns.
Addressing the House, Muhammad Hussain said his party would reconsider the demand for a new province if the PPP assured that it would take necessary steps to protect the rights of citizens in urban areas.
“We love Sindh and don’t want to break up, but the current government’s policies have pushed us to raise this demand,” he added.
He alleged that most development schemes in Karachi and Hyderabad were being removed by bureaucrats.
Reacting to the MQM’s demand, PML-F parliamentary leader Nand Kumar said that their leader Pir Pagara had given his life for Sindhi freedom, adding that the party was once again ready to oppose the province’s division.
Kumar also accused PPP government of being corrupt, calling the Budget 2016-17 another failure of the provincial government.
Participating in the debate, Leader of the opposition Khawaja Izharul Hassan expressed grief over the murder of renowned qawwal Amjad Sabri and requested the speaker to adjourn proceedings. The request was accepted immediately.
