The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the creation of any new province and affirming Karachi's status as an integral part of Sindh.
The move signals a hardening of the provincial government's stance against long-standing calls to carve out a separate administrative region for the city. This tension highlights a deep divide between provincial leadership and urban political factions over governance and resource allocation.
Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presented the resolution during the assembly session on Saturday [1, 2]. The document states that Karachi is and will remain an inseparable part of the province [2]. The resolution was designed to counter renewed debates regarding the constitutional status of the city and proposals to establish a new province [1, 2].
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) responded to the legislative action on Sunday by condemning the resolution [3]. A spokesperson for the party said the resolution is unconstitutional and against the Constitution of Pakistan [1].
Representatives for MQM-P said they condemn the Sindh Assembly resolution against the creation of a new province as unconstitutional [3]. The party has historically advocated for greater autonomy or the creation of a new province to better address the needs of Karachi's urban population.
While some reports suggested similar resolutions were passed in the National Assembly, primary reports from Dawn, MSN, and The Tribune indicate the action was limited to the Sindh Assembly [1, 2, 3].
“Karachi is and will remain an integral and inseparable part of Sindh.”
This resolution reinforces the current administrative boundaries of Sindh and asserts provincial authority over Karachi. By framing the creation of a new province as unconstitutional, the Sindh government is attempting to delegitimize the political platform of the MQM-P. This escalation suggests that the debate over Karachi's governance is shifting from a policy discussion to a legal and constitutional confrontation.
