Farooq Sattar warns of unrest in Karachi over discriminatory treatment by government

Senior leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) Dr Farooq Sattar has issued a stern warning to the government, stating that the patience of Karachi's residents is wearing thin, and if it does not take corrective measures, unrest could erupt on the streets of the city.

Addressing a press conference at MQM-P House, flanked by party members, Dr Sattar expressed his frustration over the disparity in treatment between Karachi and other regions, particularly Punjab.

He highlighted that while Punjab's citizens are receiving relief, Karachi's residents are being crushed under the burden of oppressive electricity bills. He pointed out that while a fuel adjustment reduction of 31 paisas was granted to other distribution companies, the bills in Karachi saw an increase of Rs5.

Dr Sattar further criticised K-Electric, stating that the utility company has already been charging Karachi residents an additional Rs1.50 in surcharges and Rs3.25 under the guise of circular debt, which he termed illegal.

He emphasised that the people of Karachi and other urban areas of Sindh are fed up with this discriminatory treatment, warning that if the government fails to address these grievances, there will be widespread unrest on the streets of Karachi and other cities in Sindh.

The MQM-P leader urged that Karachi be treated as an integral part of Pakistan and that its citizens be considered equal to those in other regions. He accused K-Electric of extorting money from Karachi residents, drawing parallels to the petroleum levy imposed during the PTI government.

Dr Sattar stated that MQM-P, as a responsible political party, has made every effort to resolve the issue through dialogue and understanding.

However, he lamented that the rulers seem to view Karachi as a bus carrying the entire country, expecting Karachi's citizens to push it forward while being left behind themselves.

The MQM-P leader strongly condemned the ongoing exploitation of Karachi's residents, who contribute 65 to 70 per cent of the national budget but receive only token gestures in return.

He called for the immediate reversal of the recent increase in fuel adjustment charges for Karachi and demanded that the government provide electricity subsidies to the city's residents without delay.

Responding to a question, Dr Sattar and Syed Amin-ul-Haq expressed concern that a deliberate conspiracy against Karachi may be at play, as industries continue to relocate from Karachi to Punjab.

They indicated that MQM-P might be compelled to support strikes initiated by Karachi's business community if the situation does not improve.