Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi’s Emir, Munim Zafar Khan, has announced a major protest scheduled for August 24 at the KMC Head Office on M.A. Jinnah Road. The demonstration is set to address critical issues plaguing Karachi, including the mayor’s alleged incompetence, the city’s crumbling infrastructure, water shortages, and inadequate sanitation.
During a press conference at Idara Noor Haq, Munim Zafar Khan detailed the grievances prompting the protest. He criticized the deteriorating road conditions, the failure to transfer powers and resources to local levels, and the ongoing water crisis. Khan emphasized that the protest will include town and union council chairpersons, vice-chairpersons, and councilors, and he has invited representatives from other political parties to join the demonstration.
“This protest on August 24 is not just a one-time event,” Khan stated. “We will use it to outline our future course of action. If the Sindh government and the mayor do not correct their course, we will escalate our protests at every level.”
Khan attributed the city’s problems to the Sindh government and the mayor, accusing them of neglect and poor performance. He called on the Sindh government to end its alleged hostility towards Karachi and promptly release the PFC award. He also urged that the Sindh Solid Waste Management and Water Corporation be brought under town-level control and that financial and administrative powers be transferred to town and union council chairpersons.
Further criticizing the Sindh government, Khan claimed that the Red Line project, intended to improve public transport, has become a hazard rather than a benefit, with no clear completion date. He noted that despite a substantial increase in federal transfers from Rs. 178 billion to Rs. 1900 billion over the past 16 years, Karachi—despite being the highest tax contributor—has seen no significant improvement in services or infrastructure.
Khan highlighted the poor state of the city’s roads and infrastructure, citing the repeatedly repaired Jahangir Road, which remains in disrepair. He also noted the dangerous conditions of flyovers and underpasses.
Criticizing the mayor, Khan accused him of concealing incompetence and engaging in corruption by excluding town chairpersons from major projects and favoring select areas. He also condemned the alleged collusion between the Sindh government, KMC, and K-Electric, which he claims has led to the imposition of municipal utility charges on electricity bills. Khan further alleged a covert 23% increase in water and sewage bills, despite persistent water shortages and sewage issues, forcing citizens to pay additional charges for inadequate services.
The protest aims to hold local authorities accountable and demand urgent reforms to address Karachi’s pressing issues.
