Why Is PPP Leadership Bent On Dividing Sindh?

PPP`s Information Minister Sindh Sharjeel Inam Memon asked to show respect for the leadership of political parties. He also reiterated that the people would not bear division of Sindh at all. He was expressing his reaction on the Altaf Hussain`s response to Bilwal Bhutto`s tweet “Marsoon Marsoon, Sindh Na Daisun” on the demand of new provinces in Pakistan including Sindh. Earlier, Mr. Hussain had advised PPP`s chairman to avoid such remarks by saying, “You are a kid, call your father”.

Bilalwal Bhutto Zardari is presently the chairman of Pakistan People`s party which is the 2<sup>nd</sup> biggest party of the country as far as its presence in the parliament is concerned. PPP is also the party whose founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto is considered to be the pioneer of 1973`s constitution. Perhaps, this is also the reason why PPP claims to have firm belief on democracy in the country.

But, very unfortunately, the ground reality is quite opposite. Practically, it has failed to keep its own words. It could never hold local body’s elections during its tenure whenever it came in power. Sindh is the biggest example of this where PPP has been ruling since 2008 continuously, but no elections have yet been held for this which is an open violation of Article 140-A of the Constitution.

Further, instead of making devolution of power and authorities to the lower level, PPP has tried to centralize them. Consequently, an Army General`s relatively independent city government system has become completely dependent to the provincial government as far authorities and resulted powers are concerned. In fact, this is the non-democratic attitude of PPP due to which the people of Urban Sindh feel the need of their own independent administrative unit or province.

It is worth-noticing that PPP has been extending its support for Hazara and Siraiki provinces from the beginning. It also submitted a resolution to the National Assembly in the same connection which indicates that it agrees to the need of forming new provinces in the country. However, when it comes to Sindh, PPP leadership takes a complete U-turn by opposing such a need here. The question is, how does a PPP`s own constitutional demand for new provinces in Punjab and KPK, lose all its legality and validity in Sindh? What else should it be called if not a double standard from PPP towards Urban Sindh? The Shajeel Memon`s recent statement and the Bilawal Bhutto`s tweet represent the same hypocrisy.

How awkward it looks that, on one hand, MQM`s representatives give logical arguments with constitutional and legal references in support of new administrative in the country, but, on the other hand, PPP`s top leadership is responds by tweeting, “Marsoon Marsoon, Sindh Na Daisun” in return? Would any of PPP`s legislators especially including Raza Rabbani and Aitezaz Ahsan like to explain which Article, clause or section of the Constitution of Pakistan Bilawal Bhutto Zardai quotes typing “Marsoon Marsoon” as a response to the demand of new provinces in Sindh? If it is not a provoking remarks or an ethnically-motivated threat to the people of Urban Sindh, is “Marsoon Marsoon Sindh Na Desaisun” a new democratic term that BBZ might have derived from the British democratic system during his study period there?

Frankly speaking, PPP`s such an attitude is actually justifying the reasons for a new province in Sindh. It seems if the PPP leadership does not resolve the seriously developing grievances of urban Sindh and keeps adopting the prevailing dictatorial behavior towards it, then it would surely lead to the formal demand of Sindh`s division from the people.