MQM-P has not backed away from demand for new provinces, says Mustafa Kamal
Health Minister Mustafa Kamal on Saturday criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over the lack of basic facilities in Sindh, saying the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) had not backed away from its demand for new provinces.
“Absolutely, MQM-P has not backed away from the demand for provinces. Whenever there is talk of provinces, we have said we will support it,” Kamal said while speaking to the media after inaugurating Pakistan’s first International Travellers Vaccination Centre at the Federal Government Dispensary at Karachi airport.
He pointed to the administrative structure of major cities, saying Karachi had seven districts, while Lahore and Peshawar each had one district. He claimed that the PPP had created districts on an ethnic basis.
“Did Karachi break apart? No,” he said. He criticised a selective approach to political issues, saying: “Sweet things are welcomed, while bitter things are rejected.”
“Make Sindh 1, Sindh 2 and Sindh 3 — what is the problem with that?” he said.
Kamal said the PPP had been in government for 18 years and criticised its performance in providing basic facilities.
“There are no basic facilities; they cannot even manage a sewer,” he said. “We cannot protect our children from dog bites and falling into sewers,” Kamal added.
He also said people in Sindh were drinking water from places where multiple diseases were spreading.
Kamal said amendments had been made to the constitution of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto by the PPP. “The people of Sindh are demanding that the system be changed,” Kamal said.
Read: Nothing ‘unconstitutional or treasonous’ about creating new administrative units: Kamal
He also said he did not know whether there would be a 28th Amendment.
He said the 27th Amendment had been intended to devolve powers to the streets and neighbourhoods. “The PPP said we will not accept this amendment,” he said.
He claimed that 80% of people from Karachi to Kashmore did not have access to clean drinking water. “On one hand, we are stopping the Third World War, while on the other hand children are dying from dog bites,” Kamal said.
Speaking about Pakistan’s first International Travellers Vaccination Centre, Kamal said vaccination was necessary for people travelling abroad and that vaccines and medicines were particularly important for those travelling to Saudi Arabia.
He said those travelling abroad would be given influenza vaccines, with their registration recorded with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA).
Read more: Sharjeel accuses MQM-P of stoking ethnic divisions for political gains
A computerised certificate would be issued, with influenza and polio included in it, he said.
Kamal said the system had been digitised and no one would collect money from travellers. He said meningitis and flu vaccines would be administered and their entry recorded in the NADRA database.
Travellers would visit a counter at the airport and receive a computerised certificate, he said.
Kamal said all Pakistani CNIC numbers would become medical record numbers, while all vaccination fees would be paid online. He said all airports across the country would be connected and NADRA would verify vaccination certificates.
He said fake certificates had previously been made for Rs4,000 to Rs5,000, adding that travellers should have a meningitis vaccination certificate and that it was required for people travelling for Hajj and Umrah.
Kamal said many people were being deported for medical reasons and that data of those returning after being deported on flights was being kept with the flight health desk.
Sindh government spokesperson hits back at Kamal’s remarks on new provinces
Sindh government spokesperson Sumeta Afzal Syed has criticised MQM-P leader Mustafa Kamal over his remarks on the creation of new provinces, saying provinces could not be created on the mandate of an individual or political party.
Reacting to Kamal’s statement, Sumeta said the MQM-P leader was trying to divert attention from his difficulties by creating a narrative based on division.
“Mustafa Kamal, before referring to the Constitution, please read the Constitution as well,” she said.
Sumeta said Sindh was not anyone’s political fiefdom where its map could be changed whenever someone wanted. “Making provinces is not the authority of any individual, party or those who came to power on a charitable mandate,” she said.
She said approval from the relevant provincial assembly was necessary under the constitutional procedure. “Ask the prime minister to create a South Punjab province on the basis of the resolutions approved by the Punjab Assembly,” Sumeta added.
She said, “Dreaming of dividing Sindh is not politics, but hypocrisy”. Sumeta also claimed that MQM-P lawmakers said one thing inside the assembly and another outside it.
“The Sindh Assembly has already passed its resolution, and the people of Sindh have already made their decision,” she said.
Sumeta said repeatedly raising the issue of dividing Sindh was merely an attempt to create political unrest. “Sindh is not a signboard on which Kamal can draw a new map of his choice whenever he wants,” she added.
She added, “First prove your mandate, end the contradiction within your party, and then give lectures.”
Syed also said Kamal’s case in the Lines Area had been proven and that he wanted to save himself.Read More