KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Monday strongly reacted against the Sindh government’s decision to grant Karachi Medical & Dental College a status of university calling it a move by the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to “occupy” the urban resources and weaken the local government administration.

In a statement, the party’s coordination committee demanded immediate withdrawal of any such move and vowed that it would exercise every legal and democratic right to raise voice against the PPP government’s anti-democratic governance system.

The move, it said, reflects the feudal mindset of the Sindh government which despite promises and commitment to strengthen the local government system and enhance resources of major cities were encroaching over the institutions which were meant to be administered by the municipal authorities.

On Monday, the Sindh Assembly sent the Karachi Metropolitan University Bill to standing committee concerned despite MQM lawmakers’ opposition.

According to the Sindh government plan, the university will have faculties of basic medical sciences, medicine, surgery and allied sciences, dentistry, nursing and paramedical, pharmaceutical science, health management, community health, bio-medical engineering, business administration, public administration and other faculties as may be prescribed by statutes.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2022