By Ahsan Mughal
KARACHI: Delegations from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are expected to meet today at the Governor House in Karachi, in what is being seen as a significant consultation ahead of the federal budget. The talks are expected to focus on budget proposals, development schemes, fund allocations, and concerns raised by the city’s business community.
The meeting will bring together key leaders from both parties. Governor Sindh Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Farooq Sattar, and Ameen ul Haq are among those representing the MQM-P, while the PML-N delegation will be led by Federal Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The session comes amid increasing expectations that Karachi’s long-standing development needs and financial grievances will be brought to the table with a renewed sense of urgency.
At the heart of the discussion will be the allocation of development funds for Karachi—a recurring issue that has often fueled political tension between stakeholders in the city. MQM-P, which has consistently called for greater fiscal autonomy and targeted development in urban Sindh, is expected to present a detailed set of recommendations to the visiting federal delegation.
Just a day earlier, Senator Nasreen Jaleel had written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, formally outlining budget proposals on behalf of the MQM-P. Her letter emphasized the need for federal attention to Karachi’s infrastructure, public services, and economic backbone—arguing that the city’s central role in national revenue generation has not been matched with proportional investment.
