Mustafa Kamal. Photo: FILE
ISLAMABAD/KARACHI:
Even as the embers of the deadly Gul Plaza fire have barely cooled, Thursday’s tragedy has evolved into a bitter political clash between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), reviving long-standing disputes over governance, accountability and control of Karachi.
Seizing the opportunity, federal minister Mustafa Kamal turned fire on the Sindh government during a press conference at the MQM headquarters in Bahadurabad, saying Karachi was being subjected to “democratic terrorism” and even “genocide”.
He demanded that the metropolis be declared the economic capital of Pakistan and placed under federal control, arguing that the city had paid an unbearable price for political compromises made elsewhere.
He demanded that Karachi be declared a federal territory under Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution and officially recognized as the economic capital of Pakistan, insisting that this could be achieved within the existing constitutional framework.
Kamal said that after 18 years of PPP rule, all issues regarding fires and urban disasters have been diverted by resurrecting the Baldia factory tragedy, adding that today the MQM-P takes no responsibility for such crimes.
Highlighting political “double standards”, Kamal recalled that there was a time when even the country’s president had sought support from the MQM center, adding that this illustrated selective memory and timely alliances in national politics.
Kamal further lamented that Karachi had been abandoned to tragedy, asking how many more people would have to burn to death and how many more children would have to die after falling into open gutters before the state intervened.
He said the city had been handed over to forces under whose watch the daily death toll once exceeded triple digits, calling it “open democratic terrorism.”
Rejecting “recycled accusations” concerning in particular quota systems and extortion, he declared that none of these accusations justified the current collapse of governance.
Citing repeated fire incidents, including incidents during MQM’s mayoral tenures such as the Bolton Market fire, Kamal said disasters had spared no political era, but accountability remained elusive.
He alleged that even a willing prime minister was prevented from acting for Karachi because dissatisfying the PPP could destabilize governments, whether during Imran Khan’s tenure, the no-confidence motion or the current coalition.
The PPP strikes back
Meanwhile, the Sindh government responded harshly. Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon rejected the demand to hand over Karachi to the federation, saying such calls were made by those who “burned people alive for extortion of money”.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon said blaming the 18th Amendment and proposing federal control would not prevent tragedies.
Responding to Mustafa Kamal, he said he would respond to him using his own words, recalling the Baldia factory fire, the May 12 violence and the arson attack at Bolton market after Ashura, which he said had been documented in the JIT reports.
Memon accused the MQM-P of depriving traders of their livelihoods and questioned the timing of the political rhetoric when the families of the Gul Plaza victims were still searching for their loved ones.
He played excerpts from Kamal’s previous press conferences and referred to Kamal’s remarks on the MQM-P leadership and coalition partners, as well as complaints about his conduct during his tenure as mayor of Karachi.
Memon said despite strong responses, the Sindh government would avoid scoring political points and stand with the bereaved families.
He questioned whether Kamal, who presents himself as the Karachi representative and is federal health minister, had even visited the site or contacted the families of the victims.
Terming the Gul Plaza incident as tragic and heartbreaking, Memon said all Pakistanis were in mourning and human life was priceless. He said the government was acting on a one-point agenda: recovery and accountability.
He said the bodies were being recovered and handed over to families, identification was underway through DNA testing and of the 86 missing people initially reported, two had been found in hospitals while search operations continued for the others.
He said the chief minister met the affected families and assured them of his full support, citing previous compensation efforts after the market fires.
Memon added that an inspection report prepared in January 2024 had been forwarded to the commissioner and deputy commissioner, and investigations would determine whether Gul Plaza received any notices and whether any negligence took place during the caretaker government’s tenure.
He said action would be taken wherever deficiencies were found. Highlighting the need for preventive measures, Memon said traders had been consulted, compliance with fire safety rules would be enforced and while almost 90 per cent of buildings across Pakistan lacked emergency exits and proper equipment, SOPs were being implemented in new constructions.
He also revealed that the government was considering interest-free loans for affected traders and denounced attempts to politicize the tragedy, warning of unrest and paid campaigns that followed.
He added that similar political resistance had emerged earlier against the e-challan system, despite its role in improving transport discipline in Karachi.
