KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan leader Mustafa Kamal on Thursday called on the federal government to declare Karachi the country’s financial capital and place it under federal oversight, citing constitutional provisions and referring to administrative shortcomings highlighted by the recent Gul Plaza fire.
Addressing a press conference, Kamal urged the Centre to invoke Articles 148 and 149 of the Constitution to intervene in Karachi’s governance. He argued that the metropolis, despite generating a significant share of national revenue, was being managed under a provincial system that lacked the capacity to run a city of its scale and economic importance.
Article 148 outlines the mutual obligations of the federation and the provinces, while Article 149 empowers the federal government to issue directions to a province in situations affecting peace, stability or economic life. Kamal said these provisions allowed the Centre to step in where provincial administration had failed to ensure effective governance.
He said Karachi effectively functioned as the country’s economic backbone and should therefore be formally recognised as Pakistan’s financial capital. While Islamabad served as the administrative capital, he added, Karachi required a separate governance model that matched its contribution and complexity.
Referring to the Sindh government, Kamal said the city could not continue under what he described as an ineffective provincial administrative structure. He claimed the existing system was alienating residents by denying them basic services and representation, and warned that prolonged misgovernance could harm national cohesion.
The MQM-P leader also criticised the application of the 18th Constitutional Amendment in Sindh, alleging that it was being used to centralise authority at the provincial level rather than devolving power to local governments. He called for an end to what he termed the misuse of the amendment and reiterated his party’s demand for a strengthened local government system.
Kamal recalled discussions held ahead of the passage of the 27th Constitutional Amendment last year, claiming that senior federal ministers and members of the cabinet had supported proposals to empower local governments. He said these proposals were not incorporated after resistance from the Pakistan Peoples Party, which he alleged had threatened to withdraw support for other clauses of the amendment.
According to Kamal, his party had stepped back at the time to avoid stalling the constitutional process. He said MQM-P now intended to pursue its proposed changes through a future constitutional amendment, arguing that meaningful local government reforms were essential for large urban centres such as Karachi.
The renewed focus on city administration follows the deadly fire at Gul Plaza, a commercial building in Karachi, which exposed gaps in fire safety enforcement, emergency preparedness and regulatory oversight. The incident has prompted lawmakers to raise concerns over municipal governance and the effectiveness of local administrative structures.
During a recent session of the National Assembly, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar called for the creation of additional administrative units to better manage large cities. PML-N leader Khawaja Asif also supported the need for stronger local governments, saying improved municipal management was necessary to address urban safety and infrastructure challenges.
Responding to Kamal’s remarks, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon accused the MQM-P of politicising the Gul Plaza incident. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon said the Sindh government was exercising restraint despite what he described as provocative statements.
He questioned whether ending the 18th Amendment or transferring Karachi to federal control would prevent incidents such as the Gul Plaza fire. Memon said the protection of life and property was a constitutional responsibility of the provincial government and maintained that Sindh was not evading its duties.
Memon said the provincial government’s immediate priority was identifying victims, returning remains to families and supporting those affected by the fire. He stressed that human life could not be compensated, but said the government stood with the victims and their families.
Addressing concerns raised about traders, Memon said approximately 1,200 shops had been affected by the fire. He said the government would not distinguish between shops built under original approvals and those added later when providing assistance, adding that all affected shopkeepers would be supported. He also said the Sindh government was considering interest free loans to help traders resume business.
The Sindh minister cited official data showing that Rescue 1122 received more than 1,000 reports of fire incidents across Karachi in 2025, with dozens reported so far this month. He said investigations were under way to determine how the Gul Plaza fire occurred and to assess the response of rescue and regulatory authorities.
Memon said if any shortcomings were identified during the inquiry, action would be taken accordingly. He added that the government was committed to completing the investigation and implementing necessary measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The statements from both sides come as discussions continue over Karachi’s administrative framework, the role of local governments and the application of constitutional provisions in managing Pakistan’s largest city.
