KARACHI, Feb 21 (APP): The Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Saturday passed a resolution against a conspiracy aimed at division of the Sindh province. The resolution was moved by the Sindh Chief Minister (CM), Syed Murad Ali Shah and was supported by PTI and Jamaat e Islami members, while MQM-Pakistan MPAs rejected it.
On the floor of the house, CM Syed Murad Ali Shah, in a strongly worded resolution condemning what he termed “divisive statements” about breaking up Sindh or separating Karachi, declared that the province’s unity and territorial integrity are non-negotiable and constitutionally protected.
In a comprehensive address to the House, the chief minister said Sindh was “not merely an administrative unit but one of the world’s oldest living civilisations,” tracing its identity from Mohenjo-Daro to the historic Sindh Legislative Assembly that passed the Pakistan Resolution in 1943. “The province that played a foundational role in the creation of Pakistan cannot allow the fragmentation of its own historic homeland,” he asserted.
Shah condemned calls for carving out Karachi as a separate province, maintaining that the city, historically known as Kolachi, emerged from Sindh’s soil and remains geographically, historically and emotionally inseparable from it.
“Any attempt to divide Sindh or detach Karachi is contrary to history, constitutional spirit and democratic norms,” he said, adding that such rhetoric harms national cohesion.
Referring to constitutional safeguards, the chief minister cited Article 239 of the 1973 Constitution, which requires the consent of not less than two-thirds of the concerned provincial assembly for any alteration of provincial boundaries.
“If any such move is attempted, it is this Assembly- by a two-thirds majority-that will decide,” he told lawmakers.
Murad Shah recalled that a similar resolution had been passed by the Sindh Assembly in 1994, emphasising that this was “not the first time” the province had resisted attempts to undermine its unity.
He also noted that when Karachi was declared the capital in 1948, the country did not yet have a constitution, arguing that constitutional clarity today leaves no room for unilateral decisions.
The resolution condemned “any conspiracy aimed at the division of Sindh or the creation of a separate province comprising Karachi,” reaffirmed that Karachi shall “forever remain” an integral part of Sindh, and called on all political stakeholders to refrain from divisive rhetoric. It further directed the provincial government to forward the resolution to the President, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Senate and Speaker of the National Assembly for record.
Without naming any political party, Mr Shah said the resolution targeted no individual but urged members to read it carefully and raise objections, if any, through democratic debate. “Opposing this resolution would amount to supporting the division of Sindh,” he remarked.
Highlighting Sindh’s historical struggles, from its separation from the Bombay Presidency in 1936 to resistance against the One Unit scheme, the chief minister said the people of Sindh had consistently defended their province through constitutional and political means.
He also invoked the slogan “Pakistan Khappay,” raised by Asif Ali Zardari, reiterating that the Pakistan Peoples Party stands for national unity and federalism.
“PPP will never go against Pakistan’s integrity. It is you who speak of dividing Pakistan,” he said in a pointed rebuttal to critics. Concluding his speech, Murad Ali Shah declared: “Even the thought, dream or idea of breaking Sindh will never succeed.”
Letter, CM Murad Shah responding to the opposition’s debate regarding a resolution against the division of the province. He categorically rejected claims that the resolution was unconstitutional, challenging opponents to identify even a single point that violated the law.
CM emphasised that the essence of the resolution is simple: the House does not accept any division of Sindh. “If you want to ensure that Sindh is never divided, you must support this resolution,” he told the assembly. He clarified that the document is not an attack on freedom of expression but a clear stance on the province’s territorial integrity.
The opposition’s grievance regarding mentions of the Governor, the Chief Minister clarified that the resolution itself does not mention the Governor by name. “If a member takes the Governor’s name, you may expunge it from the proceedings; it has nothing to do with the resolution,” he stated. However, he noted that a meeting regarding such matters did indeed took place at the Governor’s House.
Provincial Minister Jam Khan Shoro’s remarks, the CM asked what was incorrect about referencing the past. He alluded to historical slogans like “Leave the TV and buy a Kalashnikov,” suggesting the opposition should reflect on their own history.
Rejecting the opposition’s claim that they “smell something fishy” (a conspiracy) behind the resolution, the Chief Minister retorted, “You say you smell something, but I smell something from your conduct.”
He concluded by reiterating that the late Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had secured these provincial rights in the Constitution and that the PPP remains the guardian of those rights.
The MPAs belonging to the treasury and opposition benches also spoke on the resolution.
Earlier, the session started with the recitation of Holy Quran and Naat Sharif with Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah in the chair.