‘None of us voted for you’: KLF audience challenge Karachi mayor Murtaza Wahab

A heated discussion on ‘Urban Dialogues: Karachi Katchehri’ allowed for a rare public forum to discuss the future of Pakistan’s largest city with the audience openly questioning Mayor Murtaza Wahab, during a talk that also fittingly closed the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) at the Beach Luxury Hotel.

Karachi’s residents, who have over time seen their city become one of the least livable in the world according to the Econo­mist Intelligence Unit (EIU), were eager to listen to any answer from the mayor – who belongs to the province’s ruling party – on several topics such as sustaining development of public spaces, public-private partnerships, housing, cleanliness, among countless others.

One particular quip received audience-wide appreciation with moderator Mahim Maher calling it a “killer question.”

“I have a very simple question. You are the mayor, however, none of us voted for you. What are you seeing in terms of the direct mayoral elections?” the audience member asked.

Mayor Wahab replied with a smart quip of his own, saying that likewise, no one voted for the previous two prime ministers either, apparently referring to rigging allegations that mar Pakistan’s general elections.

Audience members were also eagerly waving hands to have an opportunity during the question-and-answer period of the session. On high-rise living projects, architect Arif Hasan directed a comment to the mayor stating, “In my opinion, much of what you say is questionable.”

Citing his own career, Hasan continued to say, “Dharavi is a major failure.” The state of Dharavi is a cautionary tale about the direction Mayor Wahab’s government is attempting to take Karachi’s development.

To his credit, the mayor took questions in stride and answered as many of these elaborate comments and questions, even individuals who were cut off from the mic.

The session also featured social media influencer Bilal Hasan also known by his online moniker Mystapaki and urban planner Mansoor Raza.

Wahab began the session by speaking about his top priorities in his remaining time as mayor including resolving the water crisis, large-scale projects and ensuring public spaces are developed and available to all residents.

“Karachi is about 3,500 square kilometers. Just for perspective, the state of Bahrain is 800 square kilometers, and it is a country. You could fit at least five or six Bahrains into Karachi,” Hasan said.

Karachi is a city of opportunities, and it gives people a lot. You come to Karachi to be someone. You can only go to Islamabad when you become someone.

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After visiting some of the newly improved parks and recreation areas in Karachi, Hasan posted about them on his social media. He then posed a question to Mayor Wahab about whether he has plans beyond those five or six parks.

“But Karachi is more than just the parks. It’s a very good optics opportunity. But there’s so much more,” Maher, the moderator, posed.

“These poorer areas, for example. How are you going to keep paying for these parks? You said sustainability, but what is going on with the money? Karachi is a city of rich people, but the government is very very poor. And we don’t want World Bank money to run Karachi, frankly.”

Maher, who has remained the city editor for major publications and covered the provincial capital for decades, played an active role as a doubtful moderator throughout the conversation in holding not just the mayor, but all members of the panel accountable for their questions or lack of clear answers.

Mayor Wahab stated that there was a three-fold increase in the city’s active income flow from July 2024 to end of January 2025 which amounted to 2.3 billion.

Maher stopped him to ask how this was possible.

He claimed this was possible through making a “bold brave decision” and ensuring that properties like those of KMC pay appropriate rent that was previously far too cheap. The discussion then largely shifted to a back and forth about public-private partnerships. The mayor made clear that he would defend them.

Maher said public private partnerships are an indicator, to her, that the government is not doing its job and instead passing the buck over to private entities. While these projects may seem successful, she feels “nervous” about them.

“If public-private partnerships are a viable offer in your eyes, then tell me what are the mechanisms you are putting in place to ensure that exclusion is being avoided. In marginalised communities that do not have purchasing power, they become further marginalised,” commentator Mansoor Raza asked of the mayor.

Mayor Wahab accepted the validity of the question, but stated that as mayor, policymaker and enforcer of law, he believes in focusing on the end result.

“If I start thinking based on past experiences, then I think nothing will get done. I don’t have 40 years. I will be here for four years, and I have to do something. This city is our home,” Wahab responded.

Hasan ended this portion of the conversation back to a bigger picture.

“It is an absolute privilege to live in this city. But the problem with Karachi, and which becomes hard for me to defend, is that Karachi has an image problem,” Hasan said.

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“Karachi is a city of opportunities, and it gives people a lot. You come to Karachi to be someone. You can only go to Islamabad when you become someone.”

The KLF concluded on Sunday evening with a closing ceremony featuring keynote speeches by Urdu language expert Arfa Sayeda Zehra and journalist Mishal Husain. A Qawwali performance by Ustad Farid Ayaz & Ustad Abu Muhammad followed after.