Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's government was facing the heat after his law minister indicated that Islamabad was considering taking over the administrative affairs of Karachi through a little-known constitutional provision.
Tensions had already been brewing between the federal government and Sindh over the formation of a 'strategic committee' for the mismanaged metropolis by the prime minister, with the province, ruled by Opposition Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), feeling that Islamabad was encroaching on its turf.
Matters took a dramatic turn on Wednesday when Law Minister Farogh Naseem said that Karachi's worsening situation demanded the federal government play its role in resolving people's problems without imposing governor's rule or emergency.
He indicated that the centre may take over Karachi's administrative affairs under Article 149 of the Constitution, the Dawn newspaper reported.
Although the minister later clarified that he was quoted out of context, the statement elicited a sharp reaction from PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who accused the Khan government of trying to "occupy" Karachi, Pakistan's largest city.
Talking to the media on Thursday, Naseem said, "Article 149 (4) does not talk about governor's rule. The article can provide direction to the central and provincial governments."
Naseem, a leader of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), said, on the proposal of Article 149 (4) application, the headlines in newspapers that the federation wanted to take administrative charge of Karachi were wrong.
"Some people have made me a hero while others a villain in Pakistan. I have never talked about making Karachi a province as I am a son of Sindh. I don't need a certificate [to prove it]," Naseem, under attack from the Opposition parties, said.
Facing the heat, the government fielded Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, Firdous Ashiq Awan.
She said the government of Prime Minister Khan was working on agenda to introduce reforms in institutions to improve their performance.
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