Shahbaz Sharif Denied that He Demanded to Make Karachi a Separate Province

Shahbaz Sharif , the Chief Minister of the Punjab , has denied that he demanded that Karachi should be made a separate province. He said that he just asked a question whether or not Karachi can be made a province?

Earlier , a statement was attributed to Shahbaz Sharif , according to which he demanded that Karachi should be made a separate province.

This caused violence and agitation on the site of PML(N) Karachi office, and unknown agitators pelted the office causing disturbance in the area. Moreover a certain restaurant owned by a PML(N) leader in Karachi was also attacked.

Both MQM and People's Party rejected the proposal of making Karachi a separate province.

PML(N) on the other hand has a clear policy on the issue of new provinces according to which such demands are present in each of the four provinces and should be addressed nationwide and not be restricted to Punjab alone.

This statement came after the demand from rival PML(Q) to make a Sraiki province in southern Punjab, also supported by Prime Minister Gilani , who was elected from southern Punjab region.

A member of influential Abbasi family , who were the rulers of Bahawalpur in the British Raj, has also demanded for a province in southern Punjab. However this demand is different in it that they are demanding to establish a province comprising areas of Bahawalpur region. This demand is in conflict with the demand for a greater southern Punjab Saraiki province.

PML(N) leadership has said that their party is going to take up the issues of Sraiki and Bahawalpur provinces in the Punjab.