What FP didn't say about the mayor of Karachi

Wed, 11/12/2008 - 4:02pm

One of my responsibilities here at Foreign Policy is manning the "FP Editor" e-mail account. It's always fun to come in in the morning and see how readers around the world are reacting to what we print. Sometimes, the reactions can be a bit strange, though.

Yesterday, we started receiving e-mails from readers and journalists in Pakistan asking for comment on reports that we had named Karachi's mayor, Mustafa Kamal, "the second best mayor in the world." This would be an understandable query if we had actually said anything of the sort.

At issue is a sidebar from FP's recent Global Cities Index that names Kamal, Berlin's Klaus Wowereit, and Chongqing's Wang Hongju as "mayors of the moment" who have found innovative ways to globalize their cities. The mayors are not ranked, nor are we implying that they are objectively "better" than any other mayors, but that didn't stop the Karachi city government from issuing a press release on its Web site (they've changed the text since being contacted by FP) congratulating Kamal for being the No. 2 mayor in the world. For the record, the three names are not listed in any particular order.

Pakistan's biggest English-language newspaper, Dawn, then printed a glorified transcription of the mayor's press release by the government-controlled Associated Press of Pakistan as a front-page story without ever checking with us to see if it was accurate.

According to the e-mails we've received, the inaccurate story has been widely reported on Pakistani TV, radio, and blogs. Most absurdly, Karachi's city council apparently held a heated debate over whether to pass a resolution congratulating Kamal for the honor we allegedly bestowed on him. Judging by today's e-mails, the efforts of some blogs to correct the story only seem to have confused readers more.

According to one reporter, who unlike Dawn contacted us for comment, "Karachi is riddled with banners by the local government, congratulating Mr. Kamal for being declared as second best mayor of the world by the Foreign Policy."

We hate to rain on Kamal's parade, and certainly intend him and his city no disrespect, but we simply never ranked him in any way. This entire mess could have been avoided with some very basic fact-checking.



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MQM Fake Claim : 2nd Best Mayor of the World

MQM's is always busy in marketing/spreading lies, hypes, violence and hates. This thing is not an exception and it is not a surprise. Mustafa Kamal has always come across as a 'Sales Man'. He spends more hours of the day giving interviews to print and electronic media than doing actual development work. At same Altaf Bhai will be delivering telephonic lectures on War on Terror and Talibanization. Karachi (1/10th of Pakistan) is under MQM's siege (bunch of Idiots) and with the level of support MQM enjoys from Establishment goons any one can make marvels. Mustafa Kamal simply bulldozes any opposition and is a self indulging idiot who claims to 'know-it-all'. Lately he has been busy spreading hate against poor Pashtun migrant workers in order to bambofying Pathans from every corner of Land of Pure Cartels from Tribal Areas to Karachi for pleasing his Masters in UK/US. Claiming that poor Pathan workers (mostly watch mans, taxi drivers etc) have a Master Plan to take over Karachi. As if Karachi (once a small Sindhi town i.e. Mai Kulachi, Lyari ) has not been taken over by outsiders/aliens already? He issue ethnic statements in USA about Karachi. If such statement would have been given by anyone else he would be declared Bugti and tried in this Land of Pure Cartels for challenging the writ of state and treason. Since 1947, Karachi a city of Sindh has gradually become Sindhi-less city, if compared with Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta.

Karachi has almost equal composition of all major ethnic group of Pakistan. Urdu, Punjabi, Pathan, Baluch, Sindhi each ethnics group has almost more than 2 million souls. However cultural, political, business and economically dominating class in Karachi are only those who are aliens, settled, migrated from other areas particularly Gujrat/India. The resistance against Gawader project from Baluch ethnic group is also based on fears of unfair practices done during past fifty years to Sindhis in Karachi.
Lyari (Composing of Sindhis, Pathan and Baluch) which was actual Karachi will always remain slum, as if it is never ever part of Karachi. This all is result of colonial policy of state patronage of imposing minorities/aliens over majorities/locals and cultural homicide treatment to majority even after partition. Karachi explains exactly why Pakistan is taken over by Autocrats and Establishment. Pathan, Baluch and Sindhi will live with each other in peace in Interior Sindh, whereas in Karachi, there will be always violence and bloodshed of Sindhis and Pathans . The violence and TT culture, we see in Karachi, can’t be seen in other cities like Lahore, Queta, Pindi, and Peshawar. This sort of violence and TT cluture can also be observed in Indian Movies and Bombay.

I always wonder
Why our Free Media never dare to discuss MQM fake claim of 2nd best mayor the way they discuss and create justification and support for ethnic cleansing of Pathans under the label of WOT and name of Taliabn/Alqaeda.

I always wonder
After Army operation (spanning for couple months) against Boriband culture in Karachi Army Chief is poisoned to death, President along with Prime Minister are sent home whereas whole Govt is packed up. Why Army operations (spanning over years) against Bengalis (1970/71), Baluch (1974/75), Sindhis (1980s) and Pathans (WOT) is not followed by same consequences.

I always wonder
MQM and Pathan both are aliens in Karachi. But why Pathans are taxi drivers, watch man and waiters whereas most of Clifton, DHA villas, Business Houses and Industrial Units on II Chundrigar Road, Site and Mall Road (Shahrah Faisal) are owned by migrants from Gujrat/India.

Punching Note
Meritocracy is social science concept, which equates various educations streams and merits in various societies to cast system, where structured tests etc are used as merit tool to favor few and deprive majority from opening/opportunities for educational and work roles/occupations. Performance in these tests mostly depends on geographic location and social conditions in early life and childhood.

MQM Fake Claim : 2nd Best Mayor of the World

MQM's is always busy in marketing/spreading lies, hypes, violence and hates. This thing is not an exception and it is not a surprise. Mustafa Kamal has always come across as a 'Sales Man'. He spends more hours of the day giving interviews to print and electronic media than doing actual development work. At same Altaf Bhai will be delivering telephonic lectures on War on Terror and Talibanization. Karachi (1/10th of Pakistan) is under MQM's siege (bunch of Idiots) and with the level of support MQM enjoys from Establishment goons any one can make marvels. Mustafa Kamal simply bulldozes any opposition and is a self indulging idiot who claims to 'know-it-all'. Lately he has been busy spreading hate against poor Pashtun migrant workers in order to bambofying Pathans from every corner of Land of Pure Cartels from Tribal Areas to Karachi for pleasing his Masters in UK/US. Claiming that poor Pathan workers (mostly watch mans, taxi drivers etc) have a Master Plan to take over Karachi. As if Karachi (once a small Sindhi town i.e. Mai Kulachi, Lyari ) has not been taken over by outsiders/aliens already? He issue ethnic statements in USA about Karachi. If such statement would have been given by anyone else he would be declared Bugti and tried in this Land of Pure Cartels for challenging the writ of state and treason. Since 1947, Karachi a city of Sindh has gradually become Sindhi-less city, if compared with Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta.

Karachi has almost equal composition of all major ethnic group of Pakistan. Urdu, Punjabi, Pathan, Baluch, Sindhi each ethnics group has almost more than 2 million souls. However cultural, political, business and economically dominating class in Karachi are only those who are aliens, settled, migrated from other areas particularly Gujrat/India. The resistance against Gawader project from Baluch ethnic group is also based on fears of unfair practices done during past fifty years to Sindhis in Karachi.
Lyari (Composing of Sindhis, Pathan and Baluch) which was actual Karachi will always remain slum, as if it is never ever part of Karachi. Similarly disparity and contrast can also be found between actual 70 % rural Pakistan and British era Metropolis cities like Pindi, Lahore, Queta, Karachi composing of Mall Roads, Saddar, Societies, DHA, etc. The decision making elite of these Metropolis is less 1 % of the whole Pakistan population of 180 Millions. This all is result of colonial policy of state patronage of imposing minorities/aliens over majorities/locals and cultural homicide treatment to majority even after partition. Karachi explains exactly why Pakistan is taken over by Autocrats and Establishment. Pathan, Baluch and Sindhi will live with each other in peace in Interior Sindh, whereas in Karachi, there will be always violence and bloodshed of Sindhis and Pathans . The violence and TT culture, we see in Karachi, can’t be seen in other cities like Lahore, Queta, Pindi, and Peshawar. This sort of violence and TT cluture can also be observed in Indian Movies and Bombay.

I always wonder
Why our Free Media never dare to discuss MQM fake claim of 2nd best mayor the way they discuss and create justification and support for ethnic cleansing of Pathans under the label of WOT and name of Taliabn/Alqaeda. Every bomb blast is accepted by some mysterious Mullah/Talib sitting in cave in Tribal Area (Swat, North/South Waziristan). Leaving aside US Drone attacks, all killed by Jet PAF Jets Bombers and Army Heavy Artillery are always terrorist? How many such occurrences have been investigated? How many bombs blast have been preemptively avoided/intercepted?

I always wonder
After Army operation (spanning for couple months) against Boriband culture in Karachi Army Chief is poisoned to death, President along with Prime Minister are sent home whereas whole Govt is packed up. Why Army operations (spanning over years) against Bengalis (1970/71), Baluch (1974/75), Sindhis (1980s) and Pathans (WOT) is not followed by same consequences.

I always wonder
MQM and Pathan both are aliens in Karachi. But why Pathans are taxi drivers, watch man and waiters whereas most of Clifton, DHA villas, Business Houses and Industrial Units on II Chundrigar Road, Site and Mall Road (Shahrah Faisal) are owned by migrants from Gujrat/India.

Punching Note
Meritocracy is social science concept, which equates various educations streams and merits in various societies to cast system, where structured tests etc are used as merit tool to favor few and deprive majority from opening/opportunities for educational and work roles/occupations. Performance in these tests mostly depends on geographic location and social conditions in early life and childhood.

Do (2) Number Mayor

Let put this way, he should be presented as World’s 1st “Do (2) Number Mayor” which should have receive much appreciation from all over Pakistan .

Regards,
Attiq

MQM - Mustaqil Qomi Museebat (Continues National Problem)

MQM knows mostly Pakistanis are not that educated and they do not browse websites, so MQM told another lie... Something they are good at (Beside killing innocent people, money collecting/Bhatta, animal skin and mobile phones snatching Etc.).

85% of Karachi is full of dirty streets, roads teeming with severage water, bad traffic system and other things, but this mayor wants us to beleive he's world no. 2? LOLzzzzzzzzzzzz

I myself am an Urdu speaking person, but let me tell you only blind to facts Mahajirs will dance at MQM's tune.