PPP leader Sharmila Faruqui faces fresh criticism after comparing Karachi’s infrastructure issues to flooding in New York and drowning incidents in France.
PPP leader Sharmila Faruqui has once again ignited a firestorm on social media after pointing to infrastructure failures in France and New York to contextualize Karachi’s chronic urban challenges. The politician, who previously compared Karachi to Paris on Wasim Badami‘s show and faced massive backlash, has now cited drowning deaths in France and severe flooding in New York as evidence that even developed cities grapple with similar crises.
Born into a prominent political family with deep ties to the Pakistan Peoples Party, Sharmila Faruqui has built her career around urban development, women’s empowerment, and public welfare initiatives in Karachi. She is married to businessman Hashaam Riaz Sheikh, and the couple has a son. Her political lineage and long-standing association with PPP leadership have kept her in the public eye, though her recent statements have drawn more criticism than praise.
Speaking about the recent heatwave tragedy in France, Faruqui said, “Look at how hot it is in France right now. Forty people went swimming and drowned. It’s such a big city, and they went to unregulated areas and drowned. Now, God forbid, if such an incident had happened in Karachi, people would have demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister.” She then pivoted to her experience in New York, recalling, “Last year, I was in New York. It rained so heavily that we couldn’t leave the hotel for two days. It’s a major city with a proper drainage system, yet they still faced issues.”
Faruqui concluded her remarks by urging citizens to acknowledge shortcomings honestly rather than politicize every crisis. “Problems do happen. Let’s own them, acknowledge that there are shortcomings here, and recognize that improvements can be made — and should be made,” she stated. Whether this pragmatic framing will cool the backlash or fuel it further remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — Sharmila Faruqui knows how to keep the conversation centered squarely on her.
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