City's development, governance criticised

Khurshidi raps management, budget allocations; Zulfiqar Shah hits back

KARACHI:

A war of words erupted on Tuesday between Opposition Leader in the Sindh Assembly Ali Khurshidi and Sindh Minister for Culture and Tourism Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah over Karachi's governance, development projects and political accountability.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club alongside MQM-Pakistan lawmakers, Khurshidi said his party speaks for the people and raises the issues that matter to them. He described Karachi as 'one of the worst cities to live in', questioning the effectiveness of democracy when its benefits fail to reach citizens.

He criticised the Sindh government for skipping last year's pre-budget session while still claiming democratic credentials.

Highlighting traffic fatalities linked to heavy vehicles, Khurshidi said attempts were made to give the incidents an ethnic colour when 'dumper incidents' surged.

He stressed that MQM-P had supported government efforts to address the issue and accused authorities of remaining silent as Karachiites continued to suffer.

Responding to Khurshidi's comments, Provincial Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah described them as baseless and politically motivated. He said Khurshidi appeared 'confused' after witnessing Sindh's development, questioning what his party had done for Karachi during its tenure.

Shah asserted that the PPP has always championed the rights of Sindh's people and protected the province's culture, urging the opposition to focus on constructive politics.