The Sindh Assembly passed a resolution rejecting proposals to divide the province or alter its territorial boundaries, while MQM-P lawmakers boycotted the proceedings.
KARACHI, PAKISTAN — WEB DESK: The Sindh Assembly has passed a resolution rejecting any proposal to divide Sindh, alter its territorial boundaries or create separate administrative arrangements within the province, amid a boycott of the proceedings by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmakers.
The resolution was moved by senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Nisar Ahmed Khuhro after a four-day debate on proposals concerning new provinces and administrative units.
According to the resolution, the Sindh Assembly would not consent to any constitutional arrangement aimed at changing the province’s existing territorial limits. It also rejected proposals to detach any district, division or region from Sindh or place any part of the province under separate federal or administrative control.
Sindh Assembly Cites Constitutional Protection
The resolution referred to Article 239(4) of the Constitution, stating that a constitutional amendment altering the limits of a province cannot be presented to the president unless it has first been passed by a two-thirds majority of the relevant provincial assembly.
The resolution said Sindh is an indivisible provincial entity and called on the federal government, Parliament and political parties to respect what it described as the democratic will of the people of Sindh.
The assembly also directed the provincial government to send copies of the resolution to the president, prime minister, Senate chairman and National Assembly speaker.
Murad Ali Shah Defends Sindh’s Territorial Integrity
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said the province’s geographical unity was non-negotiable.
Addressing the assembly, Murad said Sindh had entered Pakistan as a united province and argued that its territorial integrity could not be changed against the wishes of its people or elected representatives.
He linked the debate to recent political statements advocating the creation of new provinces or separate administrative units.
The chief minister also criticised what he described as contradictory positions by MQM-P and other political groups that oppose dividing Sindh but support separate governance structures for different divisions.
MQM-P Walks Out of Assembly
The MQM-P opposed the government’s approach to the resolution and staged a walkout before it was formally presented.
Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi questioned the need for another resolution against the division of Sindh, arguing that similar resolutions had already been passed by the assembly in the past.
Khurshidi accused the PPP government of using the issue as an emotional political distraction from what he described as governance failures in the province.
The MQM-P leader also rejected the suggestion that his party’s position amounted to supporting the division of Sindh. He said the party was advocating administrative empowerment and decentralisation, rather than a territorial division of the province.
Opposition Calls for Administrative Decentralisation
The debate highlighted a distinction between dividing Sindh into separate provinces and creating stronger administrative units within the existing provincial structure.
MQM-P has argued that administrative, financial and political powers should be devolved to local and divisional levels.
According to reporting by Dawn, the party had proposed that new administrative units be treated as a means of improving effective, accountable and people-focused governance. The proposals were not incorporated into the final resolution, prompting the opposition walkout.
The wider opposition debate has also focused on whether Pakistan’s existing provincial structure can adequately manage its large population and whether greater decentralisation is needed.
PPP Says Sindh Will Remain United
PPP lawmakers strongly opposed proposals that could lead to changes in Sindh’s territorial structure.
During the session, PPP members displayed banners expressing support for Sindh’s unity. The resolution ultimately passed with the members present in the House supporting it, while the opposition lawmakers who had walked out were absent from the vote.
The assembly’s position represents the latest development in a recurring political debate over Sindh’s territorial status, Karachi’s administrative structure and demands for greater local autonomy.
Debate Over New Provinces Continues
The Sindh Assembly debate comes amid a broader discussion in Pakistan about creating new provinces and administrative units.
The issue has generated competing political positions. Supporters of new administrative arrangements argue that decentralisation could improve governance and service delivery, while opponents have warned that changes to provincial boundaries could threaten existing provincial identities and constitutional arrangements.
For now, the Sindh Assembly has formally rejected any move to divide the province or alter its territorial boundaries, while the opposition continues to press for greater administrative and financial powers at the local level.
