Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks at the opening ceremony of Indus AI Week in Islamabad. PHOTO: RADIO PAKISTAN
LAHORE:
Amid a contentious debate over creation of a separate ‘Karachi province’, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought to allay Sindh’s fears on Wednesday when he received Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in Islamabad.
The debate over the division of Sindh intensifies as the PML-N’s allies at the Centre, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), clashed after the former accused the Sindh government of “chronic misrule” in Karachi and demanded federal control of the city, provoking a strong response from the PPP that blamed the party for past violence in the metropolis.
Matters related to the political situation in Sindh and other issues of mutual interest were also discussed during Wednesday’s meeting.
The prime minister urged harmony and consultation among allied parties, noting that they were essential for national stability and policy continuity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured full federal cooperation for timely completion of development projects in Sindh.
The Prime Minister briefed the Prime Minister in detail on the progress of the ongoing development initiatives in the province, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari, who also co-chairs the PPP, has asked his party’s provincial leaders to maintain cordial ties with the MQM and Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori. A well-placed leader, considered close to Zardari, stated this while refuting rumors that the PPP was seeking Tessori’s ouster.
However, party sources in Sindh denied involvement in such covert efforts to remove the Sindh governor, and clarified that Sindh is happy to work with a governor who recognizes its constitutional mandate.
A source said that the Sindh government, however, has and will continue to object to the misuse of the governor’s office against the Sindh government. The desire for change arises from the governor’s repeated transgressions. The governor himself has wanted to be removed since 2024, and his actions reflect that desire, he added.
A source in a Sindh ministry said the president conveyed that they were even willing to work with the MQM and the PML-N on the 28th Amendment, but only to a certain extent.
He made it clear that the PPP would oppose any proposal to divide Sindh and would not join any dialogue on dividing Sindh into administrative units.
Speaking to The Express PAkGazette, a well-placed PPP leader and senior official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the focus has shifted inwards.
Zardari has asked the party leadership to put its own house in order in Sindh. He said the President made it clear to the PPP and the Sindh government that they must act together and start meeting expectations. He added that the information about the president’s censure of his leadership in Sindh was not a journalistic scoop; It was leaked to the media on purpose.
He said the party has been asked to maintain cordial ties with all its allies in the coalition government and maintain a good working relationship with the governor, provided the other party reciprocates their sympathy.
He stated that there is no demand to change the governor, contrary to widespread rumors and media reports. He said the recent standoff with the MQM will eventually prove to be a storm in a teapot. He added that the president asked the leaders of Sindh to lower the political temperature in the province.
The leader further said that the message to Sindh is loud and clear. The president has reprimanded them for their mediocre performance. He said the President was not satisfied with the standards of service delivery being maintained in Sindh as compared to Punjab and Islamabad.
However, heads will not roll in Sindh. Everyone will continue in the same position and with the same salary, he stated. The party spokesperson and the Sindh Information Minister were contacted for comment but did not respond.
(With additional input from Islamabad)
