Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab met with the opposition leader in the City Council, Syed Saifuddin Advocate, to discuss the upcoming fiscal budget and address municipal issues for Karachi’s development. The meeting, held at the City Council, also included Municipal Commissioner Afzal Zaidi and Finance Advisor Nayab Saeed. Mayor Wahab revealed that the budget for the upcoming fiscal year would be presented to the council on June 24. He emphasized the need for a collaborative approach to resolve municipal problems and ensure the city’s growth.
He mentioned that 210 ongoing development schemes would be completed this year.Highlighting specific issues, Mayor Wahab pointed out that many buildings in the Old City area have expired leases, and advertisements for their renewal have been placed in newspapers. Additionally, he mentioned the ongoing case in the Supreme Court regarding outstanding payments between KMC and Karachi Electric.
He noted that KMC owes Rs. 10.5 billion in dues to retired officers and employees, and the Sindh government is expected to soon announce a Rs. 1.5 billion package for these dues. Mayor Wahab assured that next year’s development schemes would be initiated in consultation with all political parties in the City Council, with Rs. 2.5 billion allocated for development projects. Mayor Wahab also addressed the challenges posed by high-rise buildings and unauthorized constructions in the city, urging City Council members to help regulate these under existing laws.
Opposition leader Syed Saifuddin Advocate expressed his willingness to assist in Karachi’s development and highlighted the distress caused to officers and employees due to unpaid dues. He stressed that development work should be carried out uniformly across all towns and UCs of Karachi.
