Mustafa Kamal Demands New Provinces, Says Karachi Left Behind
KARACHI: Federal Health Minister and MQM-P leader Syed Mustafa Kamal called for the creation of additional administrative provinces on Saturday, arguing that Pakistan’s existing governance structure was no longer capable of responding effectively to the needs of its rapidly expanding population. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, he also claimed that Lahore had advanced far ahead of the country’s largest city in infrastructure and public services.
Kamal said his party would support any constitutional initiative aimed at establishing new administrative units. He maintained that concentrating authority and financial resources at the provincial level had weakened local governments and prevented major cities and districts from receiving funds proportionate to their populations, economic contribution and development needs.
The MQM-P leader claimed that federal and provincial authorities had collected approximately Rs22 trillion over the past 18 years, while Karachi received only around Rs680 billion. He argued that the allocation represented a small fraction of the revenue generated during that period and was insufficient for a city responsible for a significant share of Pakistan’s commercial and industrial activity.
Kamal linked Karachi’s financial difficulties to changes introduced after the 2010 National Finance Commission Award. According to his account, the federal government previously transferred funds more directly to districts, but the revised arrangement channelled resources through provincial administrations. He alleged that money allocated to Sindh was not reaching Karachi and other local communities in the amounts required to maintain essential services.
Comparing Karachi with Lahore, the federal minister said the Punjab capital had moved decades ahead in terms of roads, healthcare, education and emergency facilities. He welcomed Lahore’s development but questioned why Karachi continued to experience shortages of clean drinking water, deteriorating roads, inadequate hospitals, weak public transport and dangerous gaps in basic municipal infrastructure.
He also highlighted problems affecting schools and neighbourhoods across Sindh, including institutions without adequate facilities for girls, a high number of children outside the education system, deaths linked to dog bites and accidents involving uncovered drains. Kamal said these conditions reflected a wider failure to empower local administrations and ensure that public money produced visible improvements in residents’ daily lives.
The demand for new provinces has periodically resurfaced in Pakistan’s political debate, with supporters presenting smaller administrative units as a way to improve service delivery, strengthen accountability and bring government closer to citizens. Critics, however, often raise concerns about ethnic divisions, boundary disputes, resource distribution and the political consequences of redrawing provincial structures.
Karachi’s governance challenges have remained a source of tension between municipal representatives, the Sindh government and federal authorities for decades. The city accommodates a large and diverse population while serving as Pakistan’s primary port, financial centre and industrial hub. Rapid urban expansion has placed sustained pressure on water supply, housing, sanitation, transport, policing and healthcare systems.
Kamal announced that MQM-P would take its campaign to the public while remaining within constitutional and legal limits. He said the party had already raised the issue in parliament and introduced proposals for administrative reforms but had not received an adequate response. The next stage is expected to involve political mobilisation and renewed pressure for parliamentary debate on local government powers, fiscal distribution and the possible creation of new provinces.