KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Chief, Monem Zafar Khan has sharply criticized the Sindh government’s ongoing crackdown on vehicle number plates, calling it a “money-making” scheme disguised as regulation while Karachiites continue to suffer from deep-rooted civic failures.
“The entire city is being stopped at every corner—not for safety, but to extort money under the guise of number plate enforcement,” Monem said during a packed press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq on Wednesday. “Instead of fixing roads, cleaning garbage, or providing water, the government is chasing motorcyclists and car owners to meet revenue targets and fuel corruption within the traffic police.”
He said this misplaced priority has become a symbol of the PPP government’s failure, reflecting a broader governance crisis in the city. “In a city of 35 million people with only 400 buses, broken roads, and daily load shedding, they’re focused on number plates. That tells you everything.”
The JI leader further slammed the government’s inaction in the wake of the July 4 Lyari building collapse that claimed 27 lives, blaming systemic corruption and failed oversight.
Referring to official figures, he said that 588 buildings in Karachi are classified as dangerous with 51 on the brink of collapse, yet the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) remains passive. “In the last five years alone, over 100,000 buildings have been erected; 85 percent of them are unauthorized. SBCA is deeply entangled in this web of corruption.”
Monem alleged that land grabbers and the so-called “portion mafia” operate with the full support of corrupt SBCA officials. He also condemned PPP minister Sharjeel Inam Memon’s statement that the government is not liable to provide housing alternatives to those living in unsafe buildings. “No government can deny responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of its citizens,” he said.
Regarding the compensation announced for Lyari victims, the JI leader noted that while Rs1 million per victim may ease suffering, it cannot replace lost lives. He held the PPP government responsible for allowing such tragedies to occur through negligence and a lack of enforcement.
He concluded by announcing that JI will launch a citywide Karachi Rights Convention campaign across all union councils to mobilize the public against the prevailing governance failures. “This city has been robbed of its dignity. Bribery is now the cost of every public service. Enough is enough,” Monem declared.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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