January 25, 2006	Wednesday	Zilhaj 24, 1426

KARACHI, Jan 24: Dr Imran Farooq, convenor of the Central Co-ordination Committee of Muttahida Quami Movement, has demanded total provincial autonomy to all provinces.

Talking to a delegation of students from Sindh studying overseas, including those studying in the UK, he said whatever was happening in Balochistan was similar to what took place in the former East Pakistan and one of the fundamental reasons was the denial of right to the people of Balochistan.

The delegation met Dr Imran Farooq, convenor of the Central Co-ordination Committee of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), at the MQM’s International Secretariat in London (on Monday), and the members of the team raised the question of denial of rights to Sindh and prevailing restlessness over denial of political, economic and social rights, including right to govern.

Dr Imran Farooq said that Pakistan came into existence in accordance with the Lahore Resolution of 1940, as a result of unparalleled sacrifices of the Muslims of the minority provinces of undivided India. Amongst the Muslim majority provinces, province of Bengal voted 100 per cent in favour

of the creation of Pakistan while a Resolution was passed in favour of Pakistan in Sindh Assembly.

He further added that according to the spirit and essence of Lahore Resolution, all the provinces were to be granted total provincial autonomy but sadly after the creation of Pakistan, the provinces, particularly former East Pakistan and the smaller provinces, were denied the provincial autonomy.

Dr Imran Farooq said that as a patriotic Pakistani, he would appeal to the people at the helm of affairs to provide total provincial autonomy to all the provinces to save Pakistan because this was the only route left to save the Federation of Pakistan.