Painful Realities of Karachi’s Local Bodies Election

In Karachi, people trusted Jamaat-e-Islami, but Bilawal Bhutto remained adamant that the Mayor will be from his party. On one side, there are 300,000 votes, and on the other side, there are 900,000 votes, so how is it possible? Will the people follow the desires of princes? This system of oppression and tyranny will not prevail. Asif Zardari says that the election will take place when he desires. I say you are not a king, this country will operate according to the constitution and the law.

The People’s Party has been in power in Sindh for years, but poverty still prevails there, and the lives of the people have turned into hell. The recent municipal elections in Karachi have once again reminded us of some alarming and distressing facts. Any person with a conscience can grasp the reality in light of the following four questions:

1.) What are the living conditions of the people in Interior Sindh? The living conditions of ordinary people residing in the province of Sindh are the worst imaginable. It is a life that no one can fathom. The province is governed by the People’s Party, but alongside corruption, the treatment of humans is akin to that of animals, which is the hallmark of People’s Party’s ‘Waderas’ (feudal lords) and leaders.

2.) I was recently in Karachi and explored the streets and alleys of the city. No one can claim that the people of Karachi have ever voted for the People’s Party. However, from barbershops to university professors, common men and women see Hafiz Naeem as their only hope and a potential mayor, someone who stands up for their rights. Hafiz Naeem recovered the people of Karachi’s billions of rupees from Malik Riaz, standing steadfast against corruption, leading the charge in the fight against K-Electric’s corruption, and leading the relief operations of Al-Khidmat. Hafiz Naeem has shown the people of Karachi, who were continuously neglected, a glimpse of hope.

3.) The development and progress of Karachi occurred during the tenures of Jamaat-e-Islami’s mayors Naimatullah Khan and Abdul Sattar Afghani. Their exemplary public service remains unparalleled. No one has ever accused them of corruption. On the other hand, it goes without saying that the People’s Party is notorious for being a corrupt mafia.

4.) In the recent elections in Karachi, according to official figures, the People’s Party obtained 300,000 votes and secured the third position. PTI stood second, while Jamaat-e-Islami and PTI collectively obtained 900,000 votes. Hence, the question arises: Who should be the mayor of Karachi? Bilawal was raised with a mindset akin to that of a prince, while his father, Zardari, was brought up with the mentality of a king.

The common people of Sindh touch their feet and never dare to sit beside them; instead, they sit on the ground in front of them. In Sindh, Bhutto’s grand seven-star mausoleum stands amidst houses made of mud, where there is no water or electricity. Hungry children here represent the state of the people.

Mr. Asif Zardari and Mr. Bilawal Bhutto should understand that the matter of Karachi is a little different. The people of Karachi have never accepted a dictatorship. And will once again, prove that the matter of Karachi is different. It is a bitter truth that in the 1971 elections, Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman won 160 seats, while in contrast, the People’s Party only secured 80 seats. However, the real rulers of Pakistan allowed Bhutto to break Pakistan. It is these same forces that have granted the power to control the mayorship in Karachi to a minority. This situation will not last long, nor will it be acceptable to the determined people of Karachi.