The attorney general has opened a Pandora’s box with his comment in the Supreme Court that the federal government has been weighing different options to run the provincial capital of Sindh. While the Karachi-based leadership of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has yet to comment on the attorney general’s comment, which the Supreme Court bench also did not counter, the central leadership of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has not taken the comment lightly and plans to counter any such presumptive move with full force. On Thursday, PPP senators called any such plan tantamount to attack on provincial autonomy, and demanded that the top law officer be called to the Senate proceedings and grilled for his presumptive plans. PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has, however, shown his intention to avoid a collision course on the presumptive plan and has instead vowed to work with the stakeholders of the urban voters for the betterment of the metropolitan city. He has asked his party’s government to lead the administrative matters of Karachi in consultation with the stakeholders – read MQM-led municipality and local government institutions. Side by side, he highlighted his government’s work for the business hub of Pakistan. For example, the Sindh government has come up with the first of its kind public space project – People’s Square near the Sindh Muslim Law College, which was funded by the World Bank’s Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Project (KNIP). The KNIP project provides parking as well as meeting places for the people to strengthen community bondage. Such neighbourhood community places will be built in all districts of Karachi. Under the project nearby roads are being rehabilitated, while re-development of Culture and Education Area in Saddar Downtown project is ongoing. Such projects are the need of the hour, and all provinces should replicate them. Also, the PPP should show visible signs of cooperation with the Karachi representative parties. For its good part, the PPP has let the MQM-P-led local government complete its term but the talk of lack of power and funds never dies. Side by side, the PTI is also trying to upend the political chessboard by chipping in its share in drain clearance operation through the NDMA. The move has not gone well with the MQM-P, which showed its reservation to the federal government. In the days to come, Karachi politics will see many twists and turns but these games should result in the betterment of the city. *