Govt rejects calls for new administrative units

Sindh Labour and Human Resources Minister Saeed Ghani has said the people of Sindh, including political parties, are united in their opposition to the creation of a new province in Sindh.

Reacting to a press conference by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan regarding the division of Sindh and creation of new provinces, Ghani said the constitutional authority to decide on the creation of a new province rested with the people concerned.

He said the country currently needed political stability and national unity, warning that attempts to create divisions and hatred among people living in a province could cause serious damage to the country.

Ghani accused MQM-P leaders Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal of attempting to revive what he described as politics of hatred. He said the party had previously pursued divisive politics in Karachi and warned against pushing the city towards similar tensions again.

Commenting on Siddiqui's argument regarding the constitutional process for creating new provinces, Ghani said it was contradictory to suggest that people of a province should not have a say in such a decision.

Meanwhile, Sindh government spokesperson Saadia Javed criticised the MQM-P press conference, accusing Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of presenting only "half the truth" about the Constitution in an attempt to mislead the public.

She said the Constitution clearly prescribed a procedure for the creation of new provinces and maintained that no one could be allowed to spread hatred in neighbourhoods and communities in the name of politics.