Karachi Reacts to Double-Decker Bus Announcement: Roads or Rhetoric?

• Sharjeel Inam Memon’s Announcement
• Citizens Say Roads First

Karachi: Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon’s announcement that double-decker buses will arrive in Karachi next month — alongside the implementation of EV taxes and the Pink Scooty scheme — sparked a storm of reactions on social media.

The official statement, published by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), was meant to highlight upcoming transport initiatives. But instead of excitement, it triggered a flood of sarcasm, anger, and bitter humor from Karachi residents who see broken roads, poor infrastructure, and years of political neglect as the real issue.

Comic Chorus: Karachiites Respond

Scrolling through the KMC’s official Facebook page, the comment section looked less like public feedback and more like a comedy stage mixed with frustration.

• Rehan Hyder wrote: “کراچی کے روڈ اس قابل نہیں کہ ان پر بائک بھی چل سکے، ڈبل ڈیکر کچھ دن میں ہی بےکار ہوکر گیراج میں کھڑی ہوں گی” (The roads in Karachi aren’t fit for bikes, forget buses. Double-deckers will soon be parked in garages.)
• Sheheryar Shaukat joked: “سرکار ڈبل ڈیکر جہازوں کا انتظام کیجئے، بسوں کو چلنے کیلئے روڈ درکار ہوتے ہیں” (Better arrange double-decker airplanes; buses need roads.)
• Babar Abdul Rehman added: “Import 4×4 jeeps for travellers in Karachi.”
• Karim Ullah Khan feared: “If they arrive mistakenly, they will get stuck in telephone wires.”
• Fahad Siddiqui reminded: “کوئی انہیں بتاؤ وہ روڈ پہ چلتی ہیں، کراچی میں کہیں سیدھا روڈ نہیں ہے 🤣”
• Abdul Quddos questioned: “Chalegi Kahan per governor house mai? Kyun k baqi Karachi m road tou hain nahi.”
• Yasir Hussain quipped: “Han jitna pani jama hota hai us lehaz sy double deckers he chaye hogi.”
• Soofia Ashfaq concluded: “Kaha chaly gi roads to hy nahi, in k ganjy Sar pr chaly gi.”

The comments — funny on the surface — painted a grim picture of Karachi’s urban decay.

Data Analysis: What Karachi Really Said

Analyzing over 70 comments, here’s how the reactions break down:

• Road Condition Complaints: ~63%
  Majority hammered one point — “Roads don’t exist, fix them first.”
• Sarcasm/Comic Relief: ~20%
  From “air taxis” to “telephone wires,” users vented frustration with humor.
• Direct Criticism of PPP/Government: ~10%
  Words like “corrupt,” “chor,” “shame” were common, aimed directly at Sindh’s ruling party.
• Safety Concerns: ~5%
  Warnings that double-deckers could turn into death traps on Karachi’s broken roads.
• Miscellaneous/Off-topic Rants: ~2%
  Including anti-refugee posts, personal insults, and unrelated political slogans.

The Larger Question

The double-decker debate exposes more than just potholes — it reflects Karachi’s identity crisis.

Who is responsible for the city’s crumbling infrastructure?

• The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), ruling Sindh for 17 years?
• The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), historically Karachi’s voice in power corridors?
• The Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), often the loudest opposition in local politics?
• Or perhaps, as some users hinted, the citizens themselves, who vote and then remain silent until the next election?

Until that question finds a serious answer, Karachi’s transport dreams — whether double-deckers or air taxis — may remain stuck in the traffic of political blame games.