The Provincial Assembly of Sindh on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution opposing any attempt to divide Sindh or carve out Karachi as a separate province, affirming the province’s territorial integrity and historical significance.
The resolution, moved by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, received support from members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Jamaat-e-Islami, while MQM-Pakistan MPAs rejected it.
During his address, CM Shah condemned what he described as “divisive statements” about breaking up Sindh or detaching Karachi, calling such rhetoric contrary to history, the constitution, and democratic norms. He emphasized that Sindh is “not merely an administrative unit but one of the world’s oldest living civilisations,” tracing its heritage from Mohenjo-Daro to the historic Sindh Legislative Assembly that passed the Pakistan Resolution in 1943.
“Any attempt to divide Sindh or detach Karachi harms national cohesion,” Shah asserted, highlighting Article 239 of the 1973 Constitution, which mandates the consent of at least two-thirds of the provincial assembly for any alteration of provincial boundaries. He stressed that such decisions must be made collectively by the Assembly, not unilaterally.
The Chief Minister recalled Sindh’s historical struggles, from separation from the Bombay Presidency in 1936 to resistance against the One Unit scheme, underscoring the province’s long-standing defense of its rights through constitutional and political means. Shah also invoked the slogan “Pakistan Khappay,” popularized by Asif Ali Zardari, reaffirming the Pakistan Peoples Party’s commitment to national unity and federalism.
The resolution condemned “any conspiracy aimed at the division of Sindh or the creation of a separate province comprising Karachi” and directed the provincial government to forward the document to the President, Prime Minister, Chairman of the Senate, and Speaker of the National Assembly. Shah clarified that the resolution does not target any individual or political party but serves to uphold Sindh’s territorial integrity.
The session began with the recitation of the Holy Quran and Naat Sharif, chaired by Speaker Syed Awais Qadir Shah. Members from both treasury and opposition benches participated in discussions, reflecting the assembly’s collective stance on protecting the unity and historic identity of Sindh.