MQM Demands Karachi Be Declared a Federal Territory

**Islamabad:** Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal has demanded that Karachi be made part of the federation, calling for the city to be declared a federal territory and Pakistan’s economic capital.

Addressing a press conference at the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) headquarters in Bahadurabad, Karachi, Mustafa Kamal said the city was facing what he described as “systematic neglect and democratic terrorism.” He alleged that lives were being lost daily due to poor governance, unsafe infrastructure, fires, and sewer-related accidents, questioning how many more people would have to die before action is taken.

Criticizing the Sindh government, he said that after ruling for 18 years, it deflects responsibility by repeatedly referencing past incidents such as the Baldia factory fire. He stressed that the current MQM should not be held accountable for past events and accused the provincial government of failing to protect Karachi’s residents.

Mustafa Kamal said Karachi was once a safer and better-managed city, but continuous misgovernance had turned it into a place where citizens suffer without redress. He questioned the quota system in Sindh and alleged that it had contributed to discrimination against Karachi’s population.

He further claimed that the federal government, including the prime minister, is unable to take meaningful steps for Karachi due to political dependence on the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). “Governments keep relying on PPP for survival, and the price is being paid by Karachi,” he said, adding that the city continues to make sacrifices while receiving little in return.

Appealing directly to the state and its institutions, Mustafa Kamal urged that Karachi be brought under federal control in accordance with Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution. He said this could be done within the existing constitutional framework and would allow Karachi to function as Pakistan’s economic hub under direct federal oversight.

He warned that neglecting Karachi harms the entire country, stating, “If Karachi bleeds, Pakistan suffers,” and called for an end to what he termed “democratic terrorism” against the city.