MQM-P begins street movement for Karachi rights, seeks constitutional reforms

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Sunday kicked off the first demonstration of its planned protest campaign for Karachi's rights in Shah Faisal Town.

During the rally, party leaders strongly criticized the Sindh government over the city's deteriorating civic conditions and demanded greater constitutional authority and administrative powers for Karachi.

The gathering was attended by several senior MQM-P leaders, including members of the National Assembly and Sindh Assembly. Former Karachi mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal received a warm welcome from party supporters.

Addressing the participants, Kamal claimed that Karachi had been denied its rightful share of resources for many years and accused the Sindh government of neglecting the city's growing infrastructure and public service problems. He alleged that the people of Sindh had been suffering for the past 18 years and said it was time to reconsider a system that, according to him, had consistently deprived citizens of their rights.

He emphasized that MQM-P's campaign was not against Pakistan but aimed at securing the constitutional rights of Karachi and its residents. He stressed that the party wanted equal opportunities and a better future for the city's children.

Kamal argued that Karachi's challenges were the result of poor governance rather than a shortage of funds. He claimed the Sindh government had received Rs22,000 billion but failed to spend it effectively on the city. Referring to his tenure as mayor, he said Karachi had become one of the world's leading developed cities after development projects worth Rs300 billion.

He further maintained that the federal government was not withholding Karachi's funds, instead accusing the provincial government of failing to use the city's allocated resources properly. Calling for systemic reforms, he said MQM-P's movement would remain peaceful and focus on achieving constitutional rights.

The former mayor also criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), alleging that it had obstructed constitutional amendments related to local government. He proposed another constitutional amendment that would create a framework for establishing new administrative units.

Kamal argued that a city contributing around 70 percent of Pakistan's revenue deserved a fair share of resources. Referring to the 27th Constitutional Amendment, he said MQM-P was also seeking a "28th Amendment" to address Karachi's concerns.

He described the current protests as only the beginning of a larger campaign, saying the party had yet to launch its full-scale movement.

Responding to concerns about administrative changes, Kamal clarified that MQM-P was not advocating the division of Sindh. Instead, he said the party wanted to strengthen the province through better administrative arrangements, comparing the proposal to expanding a house by adding new rooms or floors rather than splitting it.

He announced that MQM-P would continue organizing protest rallies over the next 30 days before making a final call for a broader movement. According to him, the party would eventually stage sit-ins on highways until its demands were met.

Sindh Assembly member Shariq Jamal also addressed the rally, blaming the PPP for Karachi's ongoing civic problems and urging citizens to participate in peaceful demonstrations. He highlighted shortages in electricity, healthcare, and education, saying these issues would remain unresolved unless the public actively raised its voice.

Senior MQM-P leader Anees Qaimkhani concluded by saying that the protest campaign would continue and warned that the party's movement would become more intense in the coming weeks.