A delegation from Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday. The MQM delegation, led by Convener Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddique, included Syed Mustafa Kamal, Dr. Farooq Sattar, Syed Amin Haq, Javed Hanif, and Hafeez Uddin.

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Azam Tarar, Ahad Cheema, and the Deputy Chairman of Planning and Development.

The MQM delegation highlighted the issue of youth unemployment in Karachi, Hyderabad, and other cities, noting that provincial and city governments were not hiring urban youths, even on reserved quotas. They also urged the federal government to address the prolonged power and gas load-shedding, as urban Sindh is facing severe challenges, including high inflation.

An MQM spokesperson stated that the prime minister assured the delegation of job opportunities for urban Sindh youth in federal institutions and loans under the Khushhal Nojawan Programme. Additionally, the PM promised to provide interest-free solar panels to urban Sindh residents in partnership with the Akhuwat Foundation.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged significant relief for Sindh citizens in the upcoming budget, according to the MQM spokesperson.

The delegation also pressed for the swift completion of the K-4 water project and new development initiatives in Karachi, Hyderabad, and other Sindh cities. They called for a five-year Socio-Economic & Cultural Development Plan for Karachi.

The prime minister informed the MQM delegation about the UAE government’s investment in a desalination plant in Karachi. He reassured them that the federal government is committed to solving Sindh citizens’ problems, including reducing electricity and gas load-shedding soon, the spokesperson added.