No Alternative to Constitutional Procedure for Creation of New Provinces: Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that there is no acceptable way to create new provinces other than the procedure laid down in the Constitution, reiterating that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has a clear policy on the issue.

Speaking in Karachi, Sharjeel Memon said PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had already clearly stated the party’s position on the formation of new provinces.

He said the Constitution provides a clear procedure for the creation of provinces and no alternative to the constitutional process would be acceptable.

Memon said a resolution for the creation of a new province must first be approved by the relevant provincial assembly with a majority vote.

He claimed that resolutions regarding the creation of a new province had been presented in the Sindh Assembly seven times, with four being approved unanimously. He added that three resolutions had been passed with a majority during PPP governments.

The senior minister said the PPP’s position on the issue was unambiguous and all decisions concerning the creation of provinces should be based on the will of the people.

“The genuine expression of public opinion comes through their elected representatives,” he said, adding that representatives are elected through elections to represent citizens in assemblies.

He said conducting surveys on the streets could not serve as a constitutional substitute for the opinion expressed through elected representatives.

Sindh Government’s Development Initiatives

Earlier, Sharjeel Memon visited the BRT Red Line project in Karachi and reviewed the ongoing construction work. He was briefed on progress on the project.

He said the Sindh government was working to improve public transportation and had launched several development initiatives across the province.

Memon said the government was also working on a major housing programme under which 2.1 million houses were being constructed, describing it as one of the largest such projects in the world.

He said work on University Road had been completed by around 80 percent, while construction on a 2.7-kilometre section of the K-4 water supply line was also underway. Once the K-4 line work was completed, he said, University Road would be fully restored for traffic.

The minister said additional double-decker buses would arrive next month, while 500 electric buses would also be added to Karachi’s public transport system.

He said Sindh was the first province to introduce an air ambulance service and claimed that the provincial government was making efforts to improve healthcare facilities.

Karachi’s Economic Importance

Sharjeel Memon said Karachi remained one of Pakistan’s most important economic centres and was among the cities contributing the highest amount of taxes to the national economy.

“Karachi’s development is Pakistan’s development,” he said, adding that resolving the city’s problems was primarily the government’s responsibility, while citizens and other stakeholders also had an important role to play.

He called for positive and responsible politics to address Karachi’s challenges and said the city should be presented as a safe and attractive destination for foreign investors.

Memon also defended the PPP’s record in Sindh, saying the party had invested more than $1 billion in the Thar coal project. He said coal from Thar was now being used to generate electricity for Pakistan.

He maintained that the PPP was a federal party with a presence in all four provinces and said issues affecting Pakistan as a whole were also the party’s concerns.

Criticism of MQM Leaders

The Sindh minister also criticised former and current MQM leaders, alleging that some had supported strike calls during the period when Altaf Hussain was leading the party.

He claimed that videos of Mustafa Kamal and Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui supporting strike calls were still available with the media. Memon alleged that Karachi had witnessed significant violence and loss of life during strikes in the past.

He further accused some MQM leaders of defending violent incidents on television rather than condemning them, and alleged that several political figures changed their political affiliations after restrictions were imposed on Altaf Hussain’s organisation.

Memon said parties pursuing politics of hatred could damage the reputation of their own province and urged political forces to adopt a positive approach towards Karachi’s problems.

He reiterated that the Sindh government was working continuously to address the city’s challenges and improve conditions for its residents.