JI terms Sindh’s proposed master plan ‘a blueprint for Karachi’s destruction’

KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Ameer Monem Zafar Khan alleged on Wednesday that the Sindh government’s proposed master plan for Karachi is a blueprint for the megacity’s destruction, accusing the government of further weakening an already strained metropolis.

Addressing a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, he said a long-running alignment among criminal elements, political actors, government departments, and mafias has effectively taken control of Karachi. He added that citizens are being pushed to the brink under worsening law-and-order and collapsing civic services.

Commenting on traffic enforcement, he said that excessive challans and surveillance cameras have turned Shahrah-e-Faisal a nightmare for public, while the city’s broken roads have played the same role for years.

He said the Water Corporation and Sindh Solid Waste Management have become a constant source of distress for residents, and that street crime, robberies, and fatal traffic accidents continue to rise.

He stated that instead of resolving core civic issues, the Chief Minister, Transport Minister, and Local Government Minister remain focused solely on e-challans. Despite running the province for 17 years, the PPP government has added only a few hundred buses to Karachi’s public transport network, he said, yet its ministers continue to make announcements about double-decker buses.

Zafar also criticised the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, saying the party is acting as a “friendly opposition” to protect its ministries and safeguard personal interests. He alleged that MQM is also facilitating Asif Ali Zardari in securing immunity.

He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Karachi after six months but left without announcing any relief or development package, reflecting what he called a complete lack of commitment to the city.

JI demanded that the federal government provide a development package of Rs500 billion for Karachi, and that the Sindh government allocate Rs2 billion for each town to support basic improvements. He added that Sindh has already received Rs50280 million under the NFC Award with a 13 percent rise, and must now issue the PFC Award without delay.

He called for the withdrawal and revision of heavy e-challan fines, saying Karachi residents are already burdened with numerous taxes, including KMC’s Municipal Utility Charges.

He said JI’s upcoming public gathering in Lahore will mark a significant push against the country’s exploitative power structure and aim to free citizens from the control of feudal and elite groups.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025