KARACHI, June 19: Members of the National Assembly belonging to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement have alleged that the Pakistan People’s Party is the biggest opponent of the rights of smaller provinces. They have asked all political and religious parties to decide whether national integrity or the 1973 constitution was important.

The legislators were reacting to the PPP-Parliamentarians President Makhdoom Amin Fahim’s rejection of MQM chief’s contention that either a new constitution be formulated or fundamental changes be made in the 1973 constitution.

In a joint statement issued here on Monday, the MQM MNAs claimed that by opposing fundamental changes in the constitution, the PPP had proved that it opposed the rights of smaller provinces and their autonomy.

The 1973 constitution could not save its pioneer, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, from being hanged, nor could it protect the assemblies and the governments created under it. They maintained that the 1973 constitution was a copy of the 1935 British India Act under which smaller provinces had not been given autonomy, under the policy of colonisation.

They alleged that the PPP wanted to keep provinces as colonies of the centre and deny such rights to them.

“At the moment, all departments are with the centre and those which have been to provinces under the concurrent list are also under the federal control. Due to this, unrest is mounting in smaller provinces.”

The MNAs also contended that owing to the neglect, the situation in Balochistan was critical and law and order situation in the NWFP was also serious. In Sindh, people were restive and dissatisfied due to the denial of rights.

The legislators said that these realities proved the 1973 constitution had failed to keep the provinces united.