Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) has labeled a resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly against the creation of a Karachi province as “unconstitutional.” The party argues that Article 239 of the Constitution of Pakistan permits the formation of new provinces. This statement follows the provincial assembly’s adoption of a resolution rejecting any move to separate Karachi, asserting that the city is an “integral part” of Sindh.

During a joint press conference, MQM-P Chairman Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, alongside prominent leaders like Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal, stated that the Sindh Assembly had passed a resolution contrary to Pakistan’s Constitution. Siddiqui further referenced Article 48(6) of the Constitution, which he claims allows for referendums. He criticized the provincial government, suggesting the resolution was passed out of “fear” and accused the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of acting as if it were “above the Constitution.”

Siddiqui alleged that the PPP, with an “artificial majority,” has taken control of Sindh, referencing supposed rigging in the 2024 general elections. He also pointed out that the PPP is unwilling to grant significant powers to its own mayor in Karachi. He warned that the situation had reached a “crucial juncture” and stressed that dialogue is essential for resolving issues, expressing his party’s desire for peace. Siddiqui highlighted that Sindh is the most multilingual province in Pakistan and that urban areas have faced “injustice” for the past two decades.

Former Karachi mayor and MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal echoed these sentiments in a separate interview, stating that the Constitution allows the federation to assume control of a city. He reiterated that the constitution provides a framework for creating new provinces and that the MQM-P’s demand falls within this legal scope. Kamal also mentioned that his party’s support for the 18th Constitutional Amendment was intended to devolve power to municipal representatives, criticizing the PPP for not devolving powers to districts.

The Sindh Assembly’s resolution, moved by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and supported by PTI and Jamaat-e-Islami members (though rejected by MQM-P), condemned “divisive statements” about separating Karachi and affirmed the province’s territorial integrity. The Chief Minister emphasized Sindh’s historical significance, tracing its identity from Mohenjo-Daro to its role in the Pakistan Movement. He declared that any attempt to divide Sindh or detach Karachi is contrary to history, the constitutional spirit, and democratic norms.

Chief Minister Shah cited Article 239, which requires a two-thirds majority of the concerned provincial assembly for altering boundaries, asserting that the Assembly would be the deciding body. He recalled a similar resolution passed in 1994 and stressed that the people of Sindh have consistently defended their province through constitutional and political means.