Bilawal says debate on new provinces should end after Sindh Assembly resolutions
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said the debate over creating new provinces should be brought to an end following repeated resolutions passed by the Sindh Assembly, while criticising the federal government for failing to undertake development work in Karachi.
Speaking to the media during a visit to the historic Spencer Eye Hospital in Lyari on Tuesday, Bilawal said the people of Sindh and their elected representatives had already made their position clear on the issue.
“The people of Sindh and their elected representatives have given their decision. Now we should put this subject to rest,” he said in response to a question about reversing the 18th Constitutional Amendment and creating new provinces.
Bilawal also said he had no information about the proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment, adding that no one had discussed the matter with the PPP.
He alleged that the federal government was not carrying out development projects in Karachi and was creating obstacles for those attempting to work for the city.
Bilawal praises KMC’s performance
The PPP chairman praised the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for its public service initiatives, saying it was encouraging to see the local government working to address citizens’ problems.
“Seeing Karachi’s local government serving the public is encouraging. In Pakistan’s history, there have been few local governments that have genuinely served the people,” Bilawal said.
He added that governments and politicians had a responsibility to resolve public problems rather than promote hatred and division.
Bilawal said that amid rising inflation, unemployment and poverty, the Sindh government and KMC were making efforts to reduce the financial burden on citizens wherever possible.
He also highlighted electricity shortages and said the party wanted to shift the entire Lyari area to solar energy.
Historic Spencer Eye Hospital restored
Bilawal visited Spencer Eye Hospital, established in Lyari in 1938, following its restoration and reopening to the public.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab welcomed the PPP chairman and said the historic facility had been closed before the KMC undertook its restoration.
Wahab said the hospital now provided outpatient services to around 350 patients daily. Cataract surgeries and other treatments were being offered free of charge, he added.
The restoration is part of the KMC’s efforts to revive public healthcare facilities and improve access to medical services for residents.
Bilawal was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, provincial ministers Nasir Hussain Shah and Saeed Ghani, members of the provincial assembly and other PPP leaders during the hospital visit.
The visit highlighted the party’s focus on restoring public facilities in Karachi, while Bilawal used the occasion to reiterate the PPP’s position on provincial boundaries and call for greater attention to citizens’ economic and development concerns.