KARACHI – Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has accepted Federal Minister Mustafa Kamal’s challenge for a debate, saying he would be there wherever the venue is decided.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a park in Shadman Town, Central District, Karachi, Wahab criticised Mustafa Kamal and said opposition was a natural part of politics.
“If my opponents do not oppose me, they will no longer be my opponents. Look at the history of democracy; there will always be opposition. I never expect my opponents to support me,” he said.
Responding to the federal minister, Wahab said Mustafa Kamal sat in an air-conditioned room while he remained in the field.
“Karachiites do not want the Karachi of violence, strikes and the politics of fear. I had simply asked when the funds were approved, but Mustafa Kamal became so angry. He is the health minister and should take care of his own health,” Wahab said.
The mayor said he did not need videos of former MQM leader Altaf Hussain and instead wanted documentary evidence.
“I don’t need Altaf Hussain’s ‘puppy’ video. Show me the documents. Tweet them right now and tell me when and how Rs300 billion was approved by the council,” he said.
Wahab added that there was a difference between former mayor Waseem Akhtar and himself.
“There will be no wheel-jam protests now; the wheels will keep moving,” he said.
Accepting Kamal’s debate challenge, Wahab sarcastically asked him to decide where they should meet.
“Tell me where I should come — Khayaban-e-Sehar, Malaysia, Dubai or Islamabad? I will come,” he said.
Wahab also criticised Kamal over his political career, saying everyone knew what Kamal used to call those who spoke against MQM founder Altaf Hussain.
“Times changed and the ‘brother’ became the enemy. After that, Mustafa Kamal formed his own party. He kept announcing that his PSP would take over and claimed that 200 to 250 billion people would perhaps join it. The man who claimed to be the second-best mayor contested the local government election and came fifth,” Wahab said.
He also criticised Kamal for later joining MQM and said Kamal had previously accused Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui of being an Indian spy before joining the same party and becoming an MNA and federal minister on its ticket.
Wahab further said Kamal had aspirations of becoming the party chairman.
He also referred to Kamal’s past differences with former mayor Waseem Akhtar, saying he would not repeat what Kamal had said about Akhtar.
According to Wahab, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui had prevented Kamal from becoming governor.
The Karachi mayor said he had no interest in protocol and directed the head of the city wardens to deploy them for traffic control.
