From tragedy to blame, MQM and PPP trade fire over Karachi governance

Even as the embers of the deadly Gul Plaza fire are hardly cooled, the tragedy on Thursday became a bitter political clash between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), reawakening long-running disputes over Karachi's governance, accountability and control.

Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal turned his fire on the Sindh government during a press conference at MQM's Bahadurabad headquarters, declaring that Karachi was being subjected to "democratic terrorism" and even "genocide".

He demanded that the metropolis be declared Pakistan's economic capital and brought under federal control, arguing that the city had paid an unbearable price for political compromises struck elsewhere.

He demanded that Karachi be declared a federal territory under Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution and formally recognised as Pakistan's economic capital, insisting this could be achieved within the existing constitutional framework.

Kamal said that after 18 years of PPP rule, every question about fires and urban disasters was deflected by resurrecting the Baldia factory tragedy, adding that today's MQM-P bore no responsibility for such crimes.

Pointing to political "double standards", Kamal recalled that there was a time when even the country's president had sought support at MQM's centre, adding that this illustrated selective memory and expedient alliances in national politics.

Kamal further lamented that Karachi was abandoned to tragedy, asking how many more people must burn to death and how many more children must die after falling into open gutters before the state intervened.

He said the city had been handed over to forces under whose watch daily death tolls once crossed triple digits, calling it "open democratic terrorism".

Rejecting "recycled accusations" such as regarding quota systems to extortion, he said that none of it justified the present collapse of governance.

Citing repeated fires, including incidents during MQM mayoral tenures such as the Bolton Market blaze, Kamal said disasters had spared no political era, but accountability remained elusive.

He alleged that even a willing prime minister was constrained from acting for Karachi because displeasing the PPP could destabilise governments, whether during Imran Khan's tenure, the no-confidence motion, or the current coalition.

PPP hits back

Meanwhile, the Sindh government hit back hard. Senior Sindh Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon rejected the demand to hand Karachi over to the federation, saying such calls were being made by those who "had burned people alive over extortion money".

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon said that blaming the 18th Amendment and proposing federal control would not prevent tragedies.

Responding to Mustafa Kamal, he said he would answer him using his own words, recalling the Baldia factory fire, the violence of May 12 and the Bolton Market arson after Ashura, which he said had been documented in JIT reports.

Memon accused MQM-P of stripping traders of their livelihoods and questioned the timing of political rhetoric when families of Gul Plaza victims were still searching for their loved ones.

He played clips from Kamal's past press conferences and referred to Kamal's remarks about MQM-P leadership and coalition partners, as well as complaints about his conduct during his tenure as Karachi mayor.

Memon said that despite having forceful responses, the Sindh government would avoid political point-scoring and stand with the bereaved families.

He questioned whether Kamal, who presents himself as Karachi's representative and is a federal health minister, had even visited the site or contacted victims' families.

Calling the Gul Plaza incident tragic and heartbreaking, Memon said every Pakistani was grieving and that human life had no price. He said the government was operating on a one-point agenda: recovery and accountability.

According to him, bodies were being retrieved and handed over to families, identification was underway through DNA testing, and of the 86 initially reported missing persons, two had been located in hospitals while search operations continued for the rest.

He said the chief minister had met affected families and assured them of full support, citing previous compensation efforts after market fires in the past.

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 had received notices and whether negligence occurred during the caretaker government's tenure.

He said action would be taken wherever lapses were found. Stressing the need for preventive measures, Memon said traders had been consulted, fire safety compliance would be enforced, and while nearly 90 per cent of buildings across Pakistan lacked proper fire exits and equipment, SOPs were being implemented in new constructions.

He also revealed that the government was considering interest-free loans for affected traders and slammed attempts to politicise the tragedy, warning against unrest and paid campaigns in the aftermath.

He added that similar political resistance had earlier emerged against the e-challan system, despite its role in improving Karachi's transport discipline.