Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has accused MQM leader Mustafa Kamal of attempting to revive divisive politics in Karachi, saying the city’s residents have rejected what he described as a politics of hatred and ethnic division.

Memon made the remarks on August 31 while responding to recent comments by Kamal. He alleged that Kamal was trying to create political tensions by encouraging differences between urban and rural communities.

The minister said attempts to create divisions among Sindh’s communities had failed in the past and would face a similar response from voters in the future.

According to Memon, political narratives cannot change reality through isolated examples or what he called misleading claims. He said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had consistently sought to reduce divisions and promote cooperation among communities.

Memon defends PPP’s Karachi record

Memon described Karachi as the economic centre of Sindh and an important contributor to Pakistan’s economy.

He criticised political groups that, according to him, had damaged Karachi’s image through violence and instability. He also accused the MQM of relying on linguistic and ethnic divisions to maintain political support.

Payoneer Says Reliable Global Payments Can Boost Pakistan’s SMEs

The minister said Karachi’s residents had become more aware of what he called misleading political narratives.

“Giving a linguistic colour to administrative decisions is merely an attempt to keep failed politics alive,” Memon said.

He also defended the PPP’s electoral record, saying the party had continued to receive public support despite years of criticism from its opponents.

Memon claimed that the PPP had provided development opportunities across Sindh without discrimination and rejected accusations that the party sought to divide Karachi.

‘Karachi belongs to all’

The senior minister said Karachi would remain an integral part of Sindh and rejected attempts to divide its population for political purposes.

He said the PPP’s stated objective was to serve people across the province, including Karachi, while promoting peace, development and social harmony.

Memon argued that the party had worked to strengthen national unity rather than create divisions within the country.

He said political differences should not be used to create hostility between communities living in Karachi.

Memon questions MQM’s past

Memon also questioned Kamal over the MQM’s historical association with violence and ethnic politics.

He asked Kamal to explain who, in his view, had been responsible for promoting linguistic divisions, extortion and targeted killings in Karachi.

Memon further alleged that some political actors had damaged the prospects of young people by exposing them to violence and weapons.

His comments came amid renewed political debate over Karachi’s governance, administrative structure and the role of ethnic identity in the city’s politics.

Sindh has long been home to communities speaking different languages and representing diverse cultural backgrounds. Memon said attempts to exploit those differences for political gain would not succeed.

He reiterated that the PPP would continue to focus on development, governance and maintaining unity across Sindh.