KARACHI: Claiming that the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government was plotting to create more districts in Karachi on ethnic lines, the Pak Sarzameen Party warned on Tuesday that it would not let any move aimed at dividing Sindh succeed.

“The PPP government is hatching a conspiracy to divide Sindh by further dividing Karachi, the capital of Sindh, on ethnic grounds for its petty gains,” PSP chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal told a press conference at the party’s Pakistan House headquarters.

“This will serve the cause of anti-Pakistan and anti-Sindh forces and the PSP will not let anyone sow hatred among Sindhis. In order to keep Sindh intact, it is crucial to make Karachi intact as one [entity],” he said.

He warned that the PSP would not accept any move to divide Karachi and it would go to any length to foil the conspiracy that he said was aimed at dividing Sindh.

Says towns should be created in metropolis on administrative grounds

Mr Kamal slammed the PPP government for planning to make new districts in Karachi’s scarcely populated rural areas.

He said that if more districts were needed to be created in Karachi in view of its growing population, then the same should be created in the city’s most populous Central, East and Korangi districts.

“If you want to keep the province of Sindh undivided, then Karachi must be restored as one district,” he demanded, asking the PPP government to create towns in Karachi on administrative grounds instead of creating more districts in the provincial metropolis on ethnic lines.

He said that no metropolitan city anywhere in the world was divided like Karachi was.

He advised the PPP to stop “conspiring” against Karachi and start serving the people of the metropolis if it really wanted to win their support.

‘Moral support’ to MQM-P

Reacting over a recent press conference by the rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan in which it had lashed out at the Sindh government for “snatching” the jobs of the people of urban Sindh, he said that the MQM had once again tried to play the ‘Mohajir card’.

He said that the MQM had said that it would march towards the Chief Minister House in protest over the “injustices” and the PSP offered its “unconditional moral support” to the MQM.

“We will set up welcome camps and provide water to protesters throughout their journey [to the CM House],” he said, asking the MQM-P to stop talking and take practical steps.

He also praised the efforts of the Sindh government, particularly of the chief minister, in dealing with the threat of coronavirus in the province and regretted that other provinces were not taking such measures.

He said that PSP workers and supporters were ready to help the government in whatever way possible to save the people.

Mr Kamal called upon the government to take stern action against those hoarding face masks, sanitizers and other essential items and register against them cases under non-bailable sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.

He asked the government to provide alternative shelter and financial help to the residents of a multistorey building in Gulbahar that recently collapsed killing 27 people. He said that the heirs of those killed should also be financially supported.

“The government should come up with a comprehensive plan against illegal constructions in the city,” he said, adding that area SHOs should be held responsible for all illegal buildings in their respective jurisdiction.

PSP president Anis Kaimkhani and other senior leaders were also present.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2020