Karachi Political Diary:
Between Power Games and Public Woes
Mubashir Mir
Pakistan’s political landscape has always been marked by turbulence, and Sindh has remained at its epicenter. Karachi, the country’s commercial capital and the heart of Sindh, is where politics, economy, and society collide most visibly. The past weeks have once again underscored this reality: a major cabinet reshuffle, a judicial degree scandal, devastating floods, and the continuing rhetoric of politicians have shaped public debate. While foreign relations, particularly with China, offer glimmers of hope, the fundamental issues of governance and public service remain unresolved.
This editorial seeks to examine these developments in detail, weighing their implications for democracy, governance, and the daily lives of citizens.
A Cabinet Reshuffle or Political Balancing?
On September 27, 2025, the Sindh government announced a significant reshuffle in its provincial cabinet. The move expanded the cabinet to 23 members and reassigned several critical portfolios.
Saeed Ghani, one of the more visible leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was shifted from the sensitive Local Government Ministry to Labour & Social Protection.
Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, already carrying the Energy portfolio, was entrusted with Local Government, effectively concentrating two powerful ministries in his hands.
Jam Khan Shoro, Minister for Irrigation, received the additional charge of Planning and Development, a department that controls billions in development spending.
Makhdoom Mehboob-uz-Zaman was reassigned to Food, replacing his previous role in Relief.
Ismail Rahoo was sworn in as Minister for Universities and Boards, while Gian Chand Israni joined as adviser. Four special assistants — Faraz Abid Lakhani, Sham Sundar, Atta Muhammad Panhwar, and Tariq Hassan — were inducted with responsibilities in IT, antiquities, relief, and minority affairs.
At face value, the reshuffle appears administrative. But in Sindh’s political tradition, such moves rarely lack deeper meaning. The Ministry of Local Government is pivotal: it controls Karachi’s development projects, municipal corporations, and urban planning — areas where political stakes are high. By moving Ghani aside and empowering Shah, the PPP has signaled both its preference for tested hands and its desire to recalibrate power within its ranks.
Yet the fundamental question remains: will this political balancing deliver tangible relief to citizens? Karachi continues to grapple with crumbling infrastructure, garbage mismanagement, water shortages, and unchecked urban sprawl. Unless the ministry’s resources are deployed with efficiency and transparency, the shuffle may amount to nothing more than musical chairs.
The Judiciary Under Fire: Jahangiri’s Degree Controversy
While Sindh reshuffled its ministers, the judiciary faced a credibility crisis. Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri of the Islamabad High Court has seen his law degree from the University of Karachi revoked. The University’s Syndicate, after an investigation by the Unfair Means Committee, declared his 1987 enrollment “fraudulent.” His seat number and enrollment ID have been formally withdrawn, and he has been barred for three years from any further academic pursuits at Karachi University.
The decision is momentous. It is not merely about one judge but the institutional integrity of the judiciary. If the allegation holds, it reflects catastrophic lapses in vetting processes — how could someone with a fake credential ascend to such judicial heights? Conversely, if the allegations prove unfounded, it would reveal a coordinated attempt to tarnish judicial independence by bringing a sitting judge into disrepute.
Already, Jahangiri has been suspended from judicial duties, and the case is pending before the Supreme Judicial Council. The public, however, is watching with alarm. Trust in Pakistan’s judiciary is fragile; years of political engineering, delayed justice, and perceived bias have eroded its standing. The Jahangiri scandal, unless resolved with transparency and speed, will only deepen this distrust. For citizens who view the judiciary as the last refuge of justice, such controversies are not minor—they strike at the heart of constitutionalism.
Floods: A Recurring Tragedy
While politicians squabble and judges face scrutiny, nature has delivered yet another reminder of governance failure. Heavy monsoon rains and water releases from India have swelled the Indus River, displacing over 100,000 people in Sindh this September alone. Dozens of villages have been inundated; crops, particularly rice and cotton, have been devastated; and thousands of families are now living in makeshift camps with shortages of food, medicine, and clean drinking water.
This is not an isolated incident. In 2022, Pakistan experienced one of the worst floods in its history, killing 1,739 people and displacing millions. Damage was estimated at over $30 billion, according to the World Bank. Sindh was the hardest-hit province, with nearly half of all flood-related casualties.
Yet, three years on, little has changed. Drainage systems remain clogged, embankments unrepaired, and disaster preparedness underfunded. Relief efforts too often appear limited to photo opportunities for politicians rather than meaningful rehabilitation. International NGOs and the United Nations continue to step in with aid, but the state’s own capacity to protect its people appears stagnant.
The annual cycle of devastation demands structural solutions: investments in flood-resilient infrastructure, better urban planning, effective warning systems, and climate-resilient agriculture. Without this, Sindh’s people will continue to relive the same disaster every monsoon season.
Political Rhetoric vs. Public Service
Pakistan’s political class, meanwhile, seems trapped in rhetoric. Government and opposition leaders alike hold daily press conferences, trading accusations and hurling blame. Inflation, which crossed 20 percent in mid-2025 according to State Bank data, unemployment affecting 6.5 percent of the workforce, and a public health system stretched thin receive little sustained attention.
The recent verbal sparring between ministers of Punjab and Sindh exemplifies the malaise: much noise, little substance. The public, battered by economic stress and environmental crises, is increasingly alienated. Democratic systems rest on trust, but when citizens see politics reduced to television soundbites, faith in both governance and opposition evaporates.
Politics, in essence, is meant to be about service. In Pakistan, it has too often become an arena for power plays. The Sindh cabinet reshuffle, the Jahangiri scandal, and flood mismanagement illustrate how personal and party interests override systemic reform.
A Ray of Hope: Pak-China Relations
Amid this grim picture, foreign relations provide a rare moment of optimism. The Chinese Consulate General in Karachi recently celebrated China’s National Day with a high-profile ceremony attended by Sindh’s Chief Minister, Governor, and business leaders.
China reaffirmed its commitment to Pakistan, highlighting the ongoing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Despite global skepticism, CPEC has already facilitated investments in energy, transport, and infrastructure worth $25 billion since 2015, according to official figures. Karachi’s port, highways linking Gwadar to the north, and power plants across Sindh stand as evidence of this cooperation.
For Pakistan, struggling with debt, inflation, and governance challenges, Chinese partnership is not just an economic necessity but also a diplomatic lifeline. The challenge is to ensure that these projects do not remain isolated enclaves of progress but instead connect with and uplift ordinary citizens — from providing jobs to improving energy supply.
Journalists Under Fire
Adding to the atmosphere of insecurity is the continuing threat to journalists. Karachi TV anchor Imtiaz Mir succumbed to injuries after a targeted shooting this month. His death is not an isolated incident: at least eight journalists have been killed in Sindh over the past two years, according to the Pakistan Press Foundation.
The trend underscores the perilous state of press freedom in Pakistan, ranked 150th out of 180 countries in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders index. Journalists investigating corruption, crime, or political excess remain particularly vulnerable. For a province already grappling with governance failures, the silencing of critical voices further erodes accountability.
Conclusion: Beyond Rhetoric to Real Service
Sindh today mirrors the larger Pakistani dilemma. Cabinet reshuffles keep party elites balanced but rarely translate into better services for citizens. Judicial scandals shake the foundations of public trust. Floods continue to expose administrative paralysis. Politicians indulge in rhetoric while people suffer in silence. Journalists pay with their lives for daring to tell the truth.
And yet, amid this bleak picture, the enduring friendship with China shows how international partnerships can serve as levers of hope. If harnessed with sincerity and strategy, they could strengthen Pakistan’s economy and perhaps inject momentum into governance.
The people of Sindh — indeed all of Pakistan — are no longer interested in power games. They want clean water, reliable electricity, functioning schools, accessible healthcare, safety in their streets, and jobs for their youth. Until the leadership shifts its priorities from rhetoric to genuine service, Pakistan’s democratic promise will remain unfulfilled.
It is time our politics evolved beyond cabinet musical chairs and verbal duels. Governance must be measured not by how well power is distributed among party loyalists, but by how effectively the lives of ordinary citizens are improved.
