Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has responded to actress Hina Altaf’s remarks describing Karachi as a “prison” for women, saying that she was entitled to express her opinion but questioning her assessment of the city.
Speaking at a recent press conference, Wahab said he did not know the actress but pointed to a recent public appearance by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, accompanied by provincial ministers, local government representatives and ordinary citizens, as an indication that people were moving freely in the city.
The mayor also criticised what he described as political prejudice against the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), saying critics often overlooked Karachi’s security situation around 20 years ago.
He referred to incidents including bodies found in gunny bags, citywide strike calls, extortion and kidnappings, arguing that such conditions were no longer prevalent at the same level.
Responding sarcastically to criticism of Karachi, Wahab also claimed that London faced serious security challenges and said people familiar with international conditions could understand the situation there.
He further mocked what he called an anti-PPP mindset, joking that his administration would offer free treatment and subsidised locally made glasses to those viewing the city through what he described as a biased lens.
Hina Altaf had made the remarks before returning to Karachi from London. In a social media post, she said she was about to board her flight to Karachi and described the city as a place where women could not live freely, likening it to a prison.
Her comments drew strong criticism from social media users. Former Punjab minister Hina Pervaiz Butt also invited the actress to visit Lahore following her remarks.