Simply put, Azizabad, Karimabad, Federal B Area (Mukka Chowk) used to be seen as upper middle class areas when I was growing up in Karachi late '80s to early '90s; I spent my childhood in North Nazimabad, Shadman Town, BufferZone, Sakhi Hasan area, used to stay during summer vacations in one of my aunt's apartments 1min drive from Mukka Chowk.. But today, areas like Azizabad, Karimabad, Mukka Chowk represent urban ghettos by some standards and MQM is perfectly fine in keeping them that way to maintain its grip/hold and status quo.
The bragging rights would have been all MQM's had Azizabad, Karimabad, etc turned into Clifton and Defence in its 30 something years of existence. Sadly, that is not the case.
Miss the good old days of camel qurbaani at Farooq-e-Azam Masjid grounds.. roaming around mukka chowk on foot, playing street cricket at night at Dastagir No 9, etc. All lost to a time so innocent.