PPP digs in its heels on new provinces

The meeting demanded that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif take notice of the statements by federal ministers and direct them to refrain from making remarks about new provinces units. The PPP warned the federal government that it did not have the two-thirds majority required in parliament to amend the Constitution.

It urged the government not to undermine the continuity of democracy or attempt to endanger the country's integrity. The meeting maintained that the PPP wanted the democratic process to continue but would not allow the 18th Amendment, provincial autonomy, the unity of Sindh or the constitutional rights of provinces to be undermined.

The participants said the creation of new provinces and administrative units was a matter to be dealt with under the Constitution and warned the federal government and its ministers against interfering in the constitutional status of the provinces.

They warned that if federal ministers continued making such statements, the PPP would consider the federal government itself to be behind what it described as a conspiracy against the province.

The meeting also praised the Sindh Assembly members, President Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Faryal Talpur, Nisar Ahmed Khuhro and Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah for their role in securing the unanimous passage of the resolution against the division of Sindh.

The participants described the resolution, moved by Khuhro, as a reflection of the sentiments of millions of people in Sindh and said PPP lawmakers had demonstrated their commitment to the unity of the province through the constitutional forum.

The meeting criticised the MQM-P, the PTI and the JI for not participating in the voting on the Sindh Assembly resolution, describing their position as a "double standard". It said the people of Sindh from Karachi to Kashmore stood united in favour of keeping the province intact and pledged that they would not hesitate to make sacrifices for its unity.

Addressing the meeting, Khuhro said statements by federal ministers after the Sindh Assembly resolution amounted to federal interference in provincial affairs. He said the federal government could not pass a constitutional amendment without a two-thirds majority in parliament and urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to stop his ministers from making statements about the creation of new provinces.

PPP Sindh General Secretary Waqar Mehdi said Sindh's rights were being targeted, with attacks allegedly being made at different times on the province's water resources and its unity. He accused the MQM-P of acting as an instrument in what he called a conspiracy against the unity of Sindh.

Meanwhile, JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman also rejected the government's reported plan to create 15 provinces, describing it as a wrong decision and accusing the authorities of making a mockery of the Constitution. Talking to reporters on Saturday during a visit to Khanewal, Fazl said the Constitution was being ridiculed and the government had completely lost public confidence.

"Two provinces are burning, while the government is talking about creating new provinces," he said. The JUI-F chief also criticised the earlier decision to merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, calling it the "worst" decision.

Fazl said his party was holding talks with the PPP and the PTI, adding that the parties would work out a joint strategy in Parliament.