NEW political tension between the MQM and the ruling party is intensifying over the issue of creating new administrative units in Sindh. The hard stance adopted by the ruling party against every form of the proposal seems dubious. The debate intensified in August and September following suggestions for creating new administrative units across the country. The PPP-led Sindh Assembly immediately passed a unanimous resolution rejecting any division. Strangely, the PPP has historically supported the demand for carving out a new province in the Saraiki areas of Punjab.

The political debate in Sindh highlights a long-standing tension between governance, accountability and regional identity politics. Critics and opposition parties frequently argue that the PPP strategically uses the sensitive issue of “dividing Sindh” or creating new administrative units to deflect scrutiny from its decades-long governance record in the province.........

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