Karachi businessman takes U-turn on his statement about governance in Sindh

Karachi’s businessman Atiq Mir took a U-turn on his statement about handing over Sindh’s governance to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. His clarification came after facing strong criticism from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

During a meeting between Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal and Karachi’s business community on Saturday, Atiq Mir humorously remarked, “Give us Maryam Nawaz for some time and keep Murad Ali Shah in Punjab.”

The statement sparked a strong reaction from PPP leaders.

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Government spokesperson Sadia Javed dismissed Atiq Mir’s comments as mere flattery, stating, “Ground realities cannot be changed by such remarks. Murad Ali Shah is the elected Chief Minister, and Atiq Mir has insulted the people’s mandate.”

Another Sindh government spokesperson, Sukhdev Asardas Hemnani, also criticised the businessman’s remarks, asserting that his comments do not reflect the views of the entire business community.

“The performance of the Sindh Chief Minister is part of the PPP’s manifesto, and the facts cannot be altered by the words of a single individual,” Hemnani said.

In response to the backlash, Atiq Mir released a video statement on social media, clarifying his comments.

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“I made the remark about Maryam Nawaz in jest. It was not a critique of the local government’s performance, as Maryam Nawaz herself has no exceptional performance in Punjab,” Atiq Mir explained.

He went on to compare Maryam Nawaz’s political situation to that of her father and uncle, saying, : “Sade kaam na vekho, sadi aaniyan jaaniyan vekho” (Don’t judge us by our work just focus on when we are in and out of power).