'Pass 28th Amendment or hand Karachi to federation'

Senior Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar on Thursday demanded passage of the proposed 28th constitutional amendment, warning that failing this, Karachi should be handed over to the federation or new administrative units be created.

Speaking to the media outside the SHC after a hearing of the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020 case, he alleged that PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami had "stabbed Karachi in the back," while accusing successive govts of neglecting the city.

He said a 2007 Karachi master plan, later approved in 2018, had not been implemented and was instead being "grossly violated. "Large-scale irregularities had occurred in land allocation, depriving citizens of their rights."

Referring to the plan, he claimed that 15,000 acres reserved for a model airport on Superhighway had been converted into a private housing scheme, while thousands of acres allocated for Education City, Media City, IT City and Automobile City had also been misused.

Sattar also criticised governance in Sindh, claiming that "monarchical-style rule" had hindered Karachi's development and turned it into a hub of vested interests. He demanded the formation of a high-level committee and strict implementation of court orders.

He said over 100,000 citizens had supported the petition, with around 1,000 present in court, adding that larger numbers would attend the next hearing.

The MQM-P leader further criticised the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over its stance on the governor, remarking that his party would "reclaim the governorship with interest."

Calling for public mobilisation, he urged citizens to prepare for a large sit-in in the coming days, warning that continued neglect could have serious consequences for the city and the country.