A man walks in front of a wall painted with a slogan demanding a separate province in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. PHOTO: AYESHA MIR/ EXPRESS
KARACHI: When Riaz Shah pulled up the shutters of his furniture shop in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Tuesday morning, he was surprised to see slogans of a separate province painted on most shops in the area.
Since the Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain’s recent speech on a separate province for the Urdu-speaking, or Muhajir, residents of the province, walls in various neighbourhoods of Karachi are sporting demands to split Sindh. Slogans, such as ‘Shehr humara, jungle tumhara, iss soobay mein hoga kaise guzara, adha tumhara, adha humara’ [Our city, your jungle, how will we survive like this, half yours, half ours], are painted across Karachi even though the party later clarified that Hussain did not want to split Sindh.
The association that has claimed the wall chalking for a separate province has identified itself at Mohajir Sooba Tehreek and has mostly targeted neighbourhoods dominated by Urdu-speaking residents, such as Landhi, Malir, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
There are, however, several residents of the city who do not agree with the demands for a separate province. “There is already too much violence and killings in the city. Do they want more bloodshed by demanding another province?” said Shah.
Another furniture owner insisted that, for years, people of different ethnic backgrounds have been living in harmony as brothers. “This is the work of the politicians who want communities to fight,” he said. “There is nothing good about a separate province.”
Standing opposite one such wall, Aftab - who has been living in Gulshan-e-Iqbal for 30 years - recalled how similar slogans were raised in the 1980s to expel Punjabis and Pathans from the province. “Now the move is to make Sindhis and Mohajirs fight.”
Meanwhile, there are some who support the case. Syed Umair Shah, a resident, has even thought of a name for his dream province - ‘Mohajiristan’. “We are deprived of our rights here…” said the 21-year-old man. “I wanted to be a cricketer but I was not considered for the domestic team when they came to know that I was Urdu-speaking,” he claimed, adding that the organisers demanded Rs1.4 million to let him on the team.
Another woman felt a new province will help the government manage the city. “The population of Karachi has increased tremendously over the years and it is difficult to manage it as it is,” she said. Her neighbour, Muhammad Kaleem, pointed out if provinces for Hazaras and Seraikis can be considered, then Altaf Hussain’s demand should also be considered. “We want a province as soon as possible. The Pakistan Party Party leaders should take this seriously.”
Meanwhile, MQM Rabita Committee’s Aminul Haque said that people living in the city have a democratic right to demand a province if they are not getting their rights. “Wanting a separate province would not make them unpatriotic,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2014.
COMMENTS (8)
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Trust Pakistanis to add a negative connotation to any new idea or situation they dont understand! Establishment of new administrative provinces is nothing bad!! A city like karachi growing out of proportions NEEDS to become a province! Just not on ethinc grounds but more or operational grounds so that division of balanced resources can be made possible.
The negative sentiment here, however, is related to the party of a certain ethnic domination MQM that uses this idea almost always as a threat of some kind under tense relations with other nationalist parties. However , one must not ignore that in reality Pakistan DOES run on qouta system based on ethnicity, population n domicile basis in govt, semi govt and army jobs. So there is deep rooted cause of resentment where the demand of new provinces is concerned wrt lack of equal distribution of resources!
Forgods sake stop reacting to the demand of separate provinces w/i same country as blasphemy!!
back in the 80s my dad tried out for the army. he was physically one of the strongest men in his town, and was also good at his studies. they came to know he's urdu speaking, and boom right there he and so many other were shown the door. he told me out of a 1000 people they would take only 10 urdu speakings and the rest all like around 80% would be punjabis and the rest other ethnic minorities. as much as both me and my dad hate mqm, this might be the only solution. plus, it's completely fine for people to demand a separate province. it doesn't go against the constitution.
punjabi like me support this, i hope we have more provinces in punjab as well
jye mutehda!
@True Karachiite: Speak for yourself. I would love a new province.
divide Sindh or Divide Pakistan
An Urdu speaking Karachiite like me doesnt want "Mohajiristan" or "Jinnahpur".
Old tactics of MQM. That reminds me of an old proverb " munhon nikli kothay charhy" means everybody talking about it. In this case every street, lane, shop, nook n corner is talkng about seperate province.
We, Urdu speaking people, do not want a new province at all. This is work of MQM mafia. They have done wall chalking all around my neighborhood as well. I hope no one pays heed to them.
However, PPP must definitely improve its governance and come out of its feudal mindset. Holding free and fair LG elections will be a well-appreciated step.