KARACHI: Mayor Karachi and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has hit back at Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khurram Dastgir, asserting that whenever disasters like floods strike Sindh, the provincial government firmly stands by its people.
The Context of the Dispute
In a recent video statement, Murtaza Wahab referenced Khurram Dastgir’s election campaign speech in Hunza. According to Wahab, the PML-N leader had asked the people of Gilgit-Baltistan whether they wanted Hunza to progress like Lahore or Karachi, and whether Gilgit-Baltistan should resemble Punjab or Sindh in the next five years.
Karachi is a Resilient and Welcoming City
Responding to the comparison, Mayor Karachi highlighted the stark differences in governance and the hospitable nature of Karachi. Wahab described Karachi as a compassionate, pro-poor city that embraces and feeds people migrating from all corners of Pakistan. “I would want Hunza to become like Karachi and serve the country,” the Mayor stated, praising Karachi’s welcoming spirit.
Sindh’s Rehabilitation vs. “Hollow Claims”
Murtaza Wahab sharply criticized the PML-N’s governance model, contrasting it with the PPP’s grassroots rehabilitation efforts in Sindh following devastating floods.
“Whether the Punjab government is visible during tough times or not, the Chairman of PPP (Bilawal Bhutto Zardari) is always there with the public.” — Murtaza Wahab, Mayor Karachi
The Mayor provided key updates on Sindh’s ongoing housing recovery program, noting that the Sindh government is constructing 2.1 million houses for flood affectees, out which over 1.2 million houses have already been successfully handed over to displaced families. Concluding his statement, Wahab urged the public to see through “hollow political claims” and instead support a pro-people, welfare-driven strategy.
