MQM-P firm on its demand for new provinces: Kamal

Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Saturday criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over the lack of basic facilities in Sindh, saying the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had not backed away from its demand for new provinces.

"Absolutely, MQM-P has not backed away from the demand for provinces. Whenever there is talk of provinces, we have said we will support it," Kamal said while speaking to the media after inaugurating Pakistan's first International Travellers Vaccination Centre at the Federal Government Dispensary at Karachi airport.

He pointed to the administrative structure of major cities, saying Karachi had seven districts, while Lahore and Peshawar each had one district. He claimed that the PPP had created districts on an ethnic basis.

"Did Karachi break apart? No," he said. He criticised a selective approach to political issues, saying: "Sweet things are welcomed, while bitter things are rejected."

"Make Sindh 1, Sindh 2 and Sindh 3 - what is the problem with that?" he said.

Kamal said the PPP had been in government for 18 years and criticised its performance in providing basic facilities.

"There are no basic facilities; they cannot even manage a sewer," he said. "We cannot protect our children from dog bites and falling into sewers," Kamal added.

He also said people in Sindh were drinking water from places where multiple diseases were spreading.

Kamal said amendments had been made to the constitution of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by the PPP. "The people of Sindh are demanding that the system be changed," Kamal said.

He also said he did not know whether there would be a 28th Amendment.