JI vows to continue campaign for Karachi's civic rights, development

KARACHI: Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Karachi chief Muneem Zafar Khan on Friday reaffirmed the party’s commitment to working for Karachi’s development and protecting the civic and constitutional rights of the city’s estimated 35 million residents, while saying Karachi continued to suffer from basic municipal problems after nearly two decades of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rule in Sindh.

Speaking at a reception in Qayyumabad organised to honour Hajj pilgrims, volunteers who participated in the party’s collective sacrificial animal hides campaign, party workers and students who secured A-1 grades in the matriculation examinations, Muneem Zafar said residents were still facing shortages of drinking water, poor sanitation, inadequate public transport and deteriorating roads.

He said Qayyumabad was also experiencing an acute water shortage and urged the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation to replace ageing pipelines and ensure a regular water supply. Spending billions of rupees on water tankers, he said, was not a sustainable solution.

Criticizing the PPP government’s 18-year tenure in Sindh, he said the provincial administration had failed to adequately address Karachi’s basic civic needs and continued to neglect the city’s essential infrastructure.

He also slammed the registration of criminal cases against citizens protesting for their rights, calling such actions “unjust”. He said Jamaat-i-Islami would continue to mobilise the public and campaign for their legitimate rights.

Muneem Zafar said the party had continued to serve citizens despite having limited powers and resources. He added that providing water, sewerage, healthcare, education and essential infrastructure was the government’s responsibility, but these services had remained inadequate for the city’s residents.

He said JI’s elected local government representatives were working beyond their formal mandate to address water, sewerage and other civic issues despite limited resources.

Deputy chief of JI Korangi district, Mansoor Feroz and Qayyumabad area nazim Zamarrud Awan also addressed the gathering. Area nazim Hilal, deputy area nazim Saeed Feroz and other party leaders attended the event.

During the ceremony, commendation certificates were presented to students who secured A-1 grades in the matriculation examinations, while honorary certificates were awarded to party office-bearers and workers. Residents, volunteers who participated in the collective sacrifice campaign, community elders, youth and children also attended the event.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026