“For the prosperity and stability of the country, new provinces based on administrative units are necessary,” he said.
“For as long as I live, I will fight for the rights of Urdu-speaking people and the oppressed,” Altaf added.
Earlier, in a press statement, Altaf demanded the formation of at least 20 new provinces in the country. Citing the rapid population growth, the MQM chief there should be new provinces or new administrative units. He added that by creating new provinces, power would be passed on to people at the grass root level.
Earlier today, addressing the joint session of Parliament MQM leader Farooq Sattar echoed Altaf’s demand saying, “This is the century of decentralisation.”
Sattar said the MQM chief had repeatedly urged that the country cannot sustain on just four provinces and the formation of new administrative units or new provinces is fast becoming a necessity.
“The problems of masses are not being solved,” he added.
“Sindh is generating high revenues for the treasury but very little is being given back to the province,” the MQM leader alleged.
“The current political situation is a product of centralised power,” Sattar alleged, referring to the ongoing sit-ins staged by the Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the federal capital.
Sattar also slammed PTI for supporting decentralised governance in other parts of the country, but pursuing a completely different policy in Sindh.
Further, the MQM has announced a protest on Saturday against PTI's opposition to creation of new administrative units in Sindh at Teen Talwar in Karachi.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan is scheduled to address party workers in Karachi on September 21.
MQM criticises PTI for opposing new administrative units
Lashing out at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) for its reaction against administrative units in Sindh, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has reiterated its demand for formation of units all over the country including the southern province.
MQM leader Haider Abbas Rizvi, while addressing a press conference at the Khursheed Begum Secretariat on Friday said the PTI had called for better governance and devolution of power in all the provinces except Sindh.
“Is Sindh not a part of their ‘Naya Pakistan’?" he asked.
"As much as Nadir Akmal Leghari is a Sindhi, so are all of us,” he said while referring to the PTI president in Sindh."
On Thursday, the PTI leader Leghari in a press conference had said that being a Sindhi, he will not accept division of Sindh.
Responding to the PTI, Rizvi said that while Leghari was opposing the units in Sindh, Arif Alvi, the MNA from Karachi, who was sitting next to him, was also supporting him.
“MQM has never demanded the division of Sindh, and does not want the province to be divided,” he said. “We want administrative units to be formed in the entire country, including Sindh such that there is good governance and power is devolved at the grass root level.”
He added that it was the need of the hour as the population was growing in the country.
Rizvi said that every party had supported formation of administrative units and provinces in the country.
“The PML-N had called for Seraiki province and spoken of granting provincial status to Bahawalpur,” he said. “The PPP had passed a resolution for Seraiki and Hazara provinces while PTI’s election manifesto has also talked of new units.”
The MQM leader added, “However when the MQM demanded the same, condemnations and criticism came from everywhere, which was unfortunate.”
Rizvi said neighbouring countries including India and Afghanistan were also divided in administrative units.
“At the time of independence, India had only 8 units. Today it has 36.”
COMMENTS (42)
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@Nihal: Dear Nihal,
Whoever you are,is this a justice that 90%buerocracy,police and government employees in Karachi and other urban parts of Sindh are from rural areas even from other provinves but you can't find urdu speakers there on ethinic basis?
The slaves of the locked centration camp produce 7/10 of the Pak bread. There was no war that they flee from leaving everything behind. We are lucky the Quaid was smart like the immigrant or we will still working under Sardars & Hindus for pennies! We had to put them under Job & Education quota because if their intellect. We all want to get a piece of the pie they have created, a goldmine!
@Hameedullah: What are you talking about? Was there a war that they flee from? They lost their properties & homeland for nothing. You only gave them a "Concentration Camp" if any, of which income the Nation survive today, check with the center please. The slaves are taxed for everything the nation imports and they are blocked from getting jobs or college admitions more than 2% of total due to their superior intellect. 7/10 of bread of Pak come from the slaves' labor!
@Pakland: No the settlers in Pakistan didn't remove the local people from the yoke of slavery. The "locals" were politically active and for your information the locals were the first who laid the basis for separate state for muslims. With the division of the subcontinent the riots broke out and which created the mass exodus and settlers did lose a lot in terms of emotionally and financially but no they did not do any favor to the settlers. In fact the locals gave them shelter and home after much suffering.
@Pakland: He meant in the sense of an ideological homeland; a promised land if you will. Two countries, formed (and struggled) for by people who had never visited it's realm, to be eternally theirs because of a God-given right. Go figure.
Extremely disappointed at PTI's opposition to new provinces in Sind while it supports that in other provinces. It takes votes and money from people of Karachi and wants them to be slaves of waderas forever. I am not gonna vote again to PTI unless it supports new provinces in Sind, Have also decided to not go to its meeting tomorrow.
@Ricky: Shameful for you for comparing Pak citizens to Israeli Settlers! You must have failed the history test or have habit of generalizing dift issues. Israeli Settlers are representative of the Mainland of Israel that occupied whole Palestine.
Fully support the idea and ask for practical steps to execute the idea.
I being the a sindhi but i really Support the idea of Karachi being the seperate Province . One must have a vision if the this opportunity given to Sindhis (let go Karachi)the common person will certainly rise very quickly since Sindh have the most reserve of Oil and gas and other resources All Sindhis will have may change the psyche they possess now, they probably will get free from the claws of Waderas, and still have a port at Badin There is an entire opportunity in front of SINDHIS if they allow and commit them self. I have seen their deprivation and feel very sad 2% of them are enjoying and rest of them are really suffering
Waderas have been making hundreds of billions of loot money from Karachi. Only natural that they will cry and howl at the thought of Karachi slipping away from their hold.
@faheem shah: Based upon your logic Israeli militant settlers who have formed majority in many towns of Palestine and West Bank should also demand a referendum? In your examples above Scottish and English are not the same provinces that are splitting, same goes for Quebec and Canada which have different languages, cultures and civilizations. There are not examples of rich cities demanding the separation from the rural backward population. Let us give up the mentality of militant settlers who can enslave local population.
This should not be the discussion who is asking and where, but whether it is legitimate or not. People from Karachi and Hyderabad should be asked if they want a new province. As recently asked by Scottish not English, before that Quebecer not Canadians, East Timor not Indonesians and South Sudanese not Sudanese.
@Zaki: You asked a question about disadvantages of new administrative units or provinces. In my humble opinion more provinces means more bureaucracy which means more burden on exchequer. Already we have world's biggest but laziest, useless and corrupt bureaucracy. It will be disastrous to multiply them. During British times, we had bigger provinces and we had best administration. In this day and age, we don't need more bureaucrats and other government officials in the field creating hurdles for common people. When every country of the world is cutting administrative expenses, we are fighting to put more burden upon us. We already have a very affective and viable district administration system but we lack honesty and dedication.
Fully support Altaf Bhais demand. This is the only way forward for good governance
However much one disagrees with MQM 's strong arm methods, one must agree that Altaf Husain has raised an issue which needs a serious debate. The issue must not be viewed with a Sindh specific angle only or a mohajir-sindhi prism only. This issue relates purely to good governance and spreading the gains of development evenly across the country rather than, say, a takht-e-lahore ruling over areas more than 500 kms from Lahore.
As far as only Karachi is concerned, this issue has also exposed the duplicity of PTI leadership towards Karachi. Contrary to PTI's claims that it has large support in Karachi, the fact is that bulk of the support that it got in Karachi during 2013 elections which, by the way, never represented Karachi proper, relied on those non Karachiites who live in Karachi but supported PTI in spite of mqm, rather than any belief in PTI's policies. These non Karachiites are least bothered whether or not PTI has any genuine concern for Karachi - their only interest is that mqm is cut down to size.
I am no staunch supporter of mqm but can see why, due to the insincere nature of all parties to Karachi's rights, that the people of this city remain glued to mqm, despite all its visible warts.
Saraiki or South Punjab province is 'needed'! 12 crore people more or less in one province is absurd.
More administrative units ( provinces ) through out the country makes abundant sense....its the essence of a workable democratic system.......the question is do our leaders want democracy or do they only want the slogan of democracy to hide behind as it fools most especially the West.
Majority of the country broke away and everyone kept quiet...but a division of a province for logistics reasons and it's a big no no :/ After 60 years, provincialism > nationhood, still.
Bhai represents a tiny area of the one province, yet he talks about as if he is the leader of large national party. With no roots in most of the Pakistan he loves to hear himself talk from both sides of his mouth. He is trying hard to keep himself relevant and project as national and even International leader. Is there any educated and sober leader in MQM who can keep this lifelong leader of the party under control or they are all slaves of his dictatorship and hold on the party?
if scotland can be allowed to decide its own fate to remain in uk or not what about the same rights to provinces in pakistan.
there should be referendum in urban area for the creation of separate province...the people of urban area has been marginalized by rural politicians...there is no representation of urban area in police,,administration and Karachi has been converted to Mohenjo-daro by these waderas
@Ch. Allah Daad: The only truth on this page, thank you.
Even though I hate the man, this plan is genius. But only from MQMs perspective. This is only to ensure that they have more seats and more power. The sad part is that they have convinced the common man this is good for them, but the only people who benefit is the MQM. The country in the process gets screwed. Thank you MQM, seems that's the only thing you know how to do.
I for one completely disagrees with his futile demands of 20 administrative units. In Pakistan , we hardly got an infrastructure to move four provinces floating together - Imagining 20 or 10 Administrative units allaying together on one cause is a far cry. Resultantly,I would say in straight terms that no - There should never be more provinces in Pakistan but indeed infrastructural changes, Cognitive measures and accountability are the need of the hour. Only with these principles we can move forward united and unhindered.
Atlast Altaf Bhai is representing his vote bank, thank you
Dont support MQM but demand for new provinces more than justified. PTI's stand is hypocritical with regard to Sindh
The Karachi walas should be content with local govt as was the case before. But PPP should not resist local bodies restoration. If it does, then it should not blame Karachi walas for demanding a separate province. Further, should PPP resist genuine devolution of power at the local level, it is likely to cause the exacerbation of the demand for a separate province, which could lead to the demand of the independence of Karachi. If that happens, PPP should share the blame for national divisiveness.
@Ch. Allah Daad: Chaudry sahib! What "Division" are you talking about? Lahore having Towns Karachi having Districts are "divisions" of the City that made it weaker? Or you are saying poor & public needs are being served excellently in big provinces already? By the way, its easy to breakoff a large province from a country than 20 small pieces that can not even make a country of their own if freed. See whole Europe and Asia not just middle East. Also, when is the " First we have to...." going to happen? Let me tell you this ; The only people who will be effected badly are the ones who rob whole provinces of billions of dollars and transfer outside in a day. Who will be robed easily? A man with 1's 5's & 10 Rupee notes or one with a Large Notes or even Gold Nuggets? You be the JUDGE!
Can anyone explain me what are the disadvantages of more provinces? I am simply unaware of anything against it...
People always resist any change but someone has to look neutrally if the change is good or not and more provinces is something Pakistan desperately needs.
Altaf Hussain and MQM are spot on here!
Only a fool can disagree with more provinces on admistrative basis. Please keep ethnicity out of it and think rational. Making new provinces is the only way forward.
More provinces should be created on administrative basis not ethnic. Karachiites must move away from these political parties that thrive by creating divisions among the masses. PTI is the only political party that is talking about uniting the country.
Fully support the idea of more provinces. without that we will continue living in ages of darkness.
We should have local councils but further division of country is very dangerous. In other countries provinces are based on ethnic grounds only but our country is divided on ethnic, sectarian and caste grounds. It's laughable when intellectuals give examples of Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq or other third world countries. First we have to create a Nation which is above religion, ethnicity grounds. Further division will destroy us all.
Shame on PTI for opposing new provinces within Sindh. Shows how much their leaders discriminate against Karachi and Karachites. Making a new province consisting of Karachi and Hyderabad is a necessity.
Disagree with MQM on many fronts but I definitely support Bhai on the 20 provinces idea.
A district is a complete administrative unit which common man come across in day to day life.Aam admi has nothing to do with provincial capital but power hungry politicians.Pakistan has plenty of districts within easy reach of public to serve the them.This is called politics of populace.
Altafbhai, you cannot rule from the comfort of living in London. For changing the demographics of Pakistan, you must be present in the country. Can you imagine the burden on the country with your proposal of having an extra fifteen provinces. At the present moment the country is surviving on loans from the IMF.
Parliament and politicians has adopted a rule that everything which goes in favor of common man must be opposed. A true voice which will enrich Pakistan and 180 million people of Pakistan and limit the authorities of ruling elite. I am not MQM admirer live in Lahore but strongly feel that this demand 100% justify for betterment of this Country.
I am Urdu speaking in Karachi and I totally dis-agree to divide Sindh.