MQM-P maintains demand for new provinces, says Mustafa Kamal

KARACHI: Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal has said that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has not withdrawn its demand for the creation of new provinces.

Speaking to the media in Karachi, Kamal said his party would support any move aimed at creating new provinces.

He said the issue had remained part of MQM-P’s political position. He added that administrative reforms were necessary to address problems faced by people in different parts of Sindh.

Kamal also criticised the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) over the province’s governance. He said the PPP had been in power in Sindh for nearly 18 years but had failed to provide basic facilities to the people.

He pointed to problems involving sanitation, sewerage and clean drinking water. He also highlighted deaths and injuries caused by dog attacks and open sewers.

Kamal questioned the administrative structure of major cities. He noted that Karachi has seven districts, while Lahore and Peshawar each have one district.

He alleged that districts in Sindh had been created on an ethnic basis. He argued that dividing Sindh into several administrative units should not be considered a controversial issue.

“Make Sindh 1, Sindh 2 and Sindh 3 — what is the problem with that?” he said.

The minister claimed that a large number of people from Karachi to Kashmore still lacked access to clean drinking water. He said people were being exposed to diseases because of unsafe water and poor sanitation.

Kamal also criticised what he described as selective political reactions to constitutional and administrative reforms. He said the people of Sindh were demanding changes to the existing system.

He said amendments had already been made to the Constitution during the PPP’s tenure. He added that he did not know whether another constitutional amendment, including a possible 28th Amendment, would be introduced.

Discussing the 27th Amendment, Kamal said it was intended to transfer powers to the grassroots level. He claimed that the PPP had opposed the measure.

Kamal made the remarks after inaugurating Pakistan’s first International Travellers Vaccination Centre at the Federal Government Dispensary at Karachi airport.

He said the centre would provide vaccination services to people travelling abroad. He particularly highlighted the importance of vaccination for Pakistanis travelling to Saudi Arabia.

The centre will provide vaccines against diseases including influenza, polio and meningitis. Travellers will have their vaccination details digitally recorded.

Kamal said the system had been linked with the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). Vaccination certificates would be issued electronically after the required vaccines were administered.

He said all vaccination fees would be paid online. Travellers would not need to pay cash at the vaccination counters.

According to Kamal, airports across the country would eventually be connected to the digital system. NADRA would help verify vaccination records and certificates.

He said the system would also help prevent the use of fake vaccination certificates. Such certificates, he claimed, had previously been sold for between Rs4,000 and Rs5,000.

Kamal stressed that travellers going to Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah must have the required meningitis vaccination certificate.

He also said health-related data of passengers deported from other countries would be maintained through airport flight health desks.