MQM-P demands federal control of Karachi after Gul Plaza fire

KARACHI: Following the deadly Gul Plaza inferno, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has demanded that Karachi be declared a federal territory under Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution, saying the move is necessary “for the sake of Pakistan.”

Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Bahadurabad, MQM-P leader and Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal said the Sindh government had failed and that Karachi could not be left at its mercy.

His remarks came as the death toll from last week’s Gul Plaza fire rose to 60, while 88 people are still reported missing. Relatives of the missing have criticised rescue efforts as slow at the three-storey commercial building, where teams continue searching the debris for human remains.

Although fires are common in Karachi’s markets and factories due to poor infrastructure and safety standards, a blaze of this magnitude is rare. A government committee has launched an investigation, but the cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

Referring to the tragedy, Kamal asked how many more disasters the city must endure. “How many more bodies must be recovered? How many more children will fall into open drains and die?” he said, calling the situation in Sindh “democratic terrorism” that must end immediately.

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He accused the PPP-led Sindh government of misgovernance, saying Karachi was not always in such a state. Kamal also criticised the 18th Amendment, claiming the powers devolved under it were being misused. “This 18th Amendment has become a cancer for the country and should be abolished immediately,” he demanded.

Responding to the press conference, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon rejected MQM-P’s demands, accusing the party of politicising the tragedy. He said the “reality of MQM is before everyone,” alleging its past involvement in violence, including the Baldia factory fire.

Memon questioned the timing of renewed criticism of the 18th Amendment, saying political point-scoring after a tragedy would serve no purpose. He added that any challenge to the amendment should be raised in parliament rather than through public statements.

Separately, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah said the 18th Amendment was passed through consensus and could also be improved through consensus. Speaking on a Geo News programme, he said the amendment should be discussed rather than dismissed, stressing that empowering district governments was essential for effective service delivery.

His remarks followed strong reactions from the PPP to recent criticism of the amendment, with the party warning against any attempt to roll it back. Sanaullah said the constitution allowed room for improvement, but reforms must come through dialogue and agreement.