Karachi: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain Tuesday demanded creation of more provinces and administrative units in view of radical demographic changes in the country and better governance.
Hussain, whose party represents this largest city of the country, urged to immediately convene an all parties conference on the issue that would guarantee the prosperity and greater welfare of the country and end sense of deprivation among racial and ethnic groups.
Nationalists in the Sindh province opposed the demand saying it was an attack on the people of the province.
In a statement from London, where Hussain lives in exile, he said that there was many fold rise in the population since independence of the country in 1947. He said that in other countries which won independence 66 years ago, many new provinces were set up on the basis of population growth and ratio.
“We are completely still and stagnant and striving in vain to find solution in unnatural division of the provinces,” Hussain said in the statement.
“The top brass of the country would be required to make realistic policies rising above the ethnic, racial, regional, sectarian and religious faith for the everlasting survival of the country,” he said.
The MQM demand came after the joint meeting of its coordination committee in London and Karachi.
Hussain further called the intellectual, writers, and other segment of society to enlighten the nation with their view points and thoughts so that this country could survive and thrive.
Pakistan has four provinces, which inherently are divided on ethnic basis. Karachi, the largest city of the country, is the part of Sindh province and Sindhi nationalists opposes any division of the province.
Reacting to the MQM demand of creating new province, Ayaz Latif Palejo, one of the Sindhi nationalist leader said that his party would oppose any attempt to divide the province.
He said that the demand was an attack on the people of Sindh.
However, the MQM statement quoting Hussain said that the rulers would have to swallow the bitter pill for making realistic policies for the survival and economic growth of the country.
