While the MQM has made no formal demand for a province, the graffiti-splattered walls in the city fuelled speculation that such a move was being considered by the party piqued by the government's decision to scrap the local government system and restore the commissionerate system in Sindh. — File Photo

KARACHI: The Pakistan People's Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement continued on a collision course on Monday as graffiti demanding a Mohajir province appeared overnight in many areas of the city, mostly MQM strongholds.

Indeed an incensed member of the MQM coordination committee had said the other night that while Urdu-speaking people wanted to be part of Sindh, they were being discriminated against. He also warned darkly that consequences of such a government policy would be serious.

MQM leader Advocate Anis told a news channel from London that the PPP was not willing to accept people of urban areas as sons of the soil.

As expected, the graffiti incurred the ire of the PPP as senior Sindh Minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq who appeared to be following in the footsteps of tough-talking Dr Zulfikar Mirza said that no-one had the courage to talk about the division of Sindh.

Rejecting the MQM accusation that a plan to attack its 'Nine Zero' headquarters had been finalised at a meeting between former home minister Dr Mirza and chief of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi Afaq Ahmed, he said that the MQM would no more be given concessions in the name of reconciliation.

The Sindh High Court is due to hear an application of Mr Ahmed on Tuesday through which he has sought quashment of criminal cases which he said were registered at the behest of the rival Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

The Sindh government, meanwhile, appointed commissioners and deputy commissioners for the newly restored divisions and districts across the province to strengthen the commissioner system.