The MQM-P 2022 agreement with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has once again become the center of political debate after Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan warned of launching a protest movement if its terms are not implemented. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar said none of the 18 points agreed upon in March 2022 had been fulfilled.
Farooq Sattar recalled that the agreement was signed by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and MQM-P Convener Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui during the formation of the coalition government. He stressed that the agreement was aimed at ensuring stability in Sindh, promoting Karachi’s development, and improving local governance rather than securing ministerial positions or political benefits.
Discussing the MQM-P 2022 agreement, Sattar said one of its key commitments was implementing Article 140A of the Constitution. He noted that the provision requires the transfer of political, administrative, and financial powers to local governments, but claimed the commitment has remained unfulfilled despite repeated reminders from MQM-P.
The MQM-P leader held the PPP leadership and the Sindh government responsible for the delay, naming President Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari among those accountable for honoring the agreement. He also referred to Bilawal’s recent remarks in Parliament suggesting that some of MQM-P’s concerns also involve the federal government.
Sattar urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to fulfill his role as a witness and guarantor of the agreement by ensuring its implementation. He warned that if the MQM-P 2022 agreement continues to be ignored, the party’s central committee will decide when and where to launch a nationwide protest campaign.
The MQM-P also presented four immediate demands, including the implementation of Article 140A through a notified committee, a larger development package for Karachi, progress on missing persons cases, and the return of the Sindh governorship to the party. Sattar added that MQM-P’s 22 National Assembly members could consider moving to the opposition benches if no progress is made.
Responding to the press conference, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon accused MQM-P of relying on political pressure instead of public support. He rejected the party’s criticism, saying matters relating to Sindh should not be used to undermine the country’s federal system, while the debate over the MQM-P 2022 agreement continues.
