Karachi: Opposition Leader in KMC and Deputy Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi Saifuddin Advocate has slammed Mayor Murtaza Wahab’s recent press conference, on Tuesday describing it as a classic case of ‘a guilty conscience pricks the mind.’
Saifuddin Advocate said that Wahab has left all decency behind, revealing his true nature and trying to cover up his failures by launching false accusations against Jamaat-e-Islami. However, the people of Karachi are well aware of the facts and are praying for relief from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), he said.
He said that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has become a den of corruption, with a 70 percent rate of kickbacks in tender processes.
He further said billions are being awarded in emergency contracts under suspicious circumstances. Programs like Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) are rife with corruption, all happening under systemic protection.
Thanks to Murtaza Wahab’s incompetence, Karachi is deteriorating day by day, Saifuddin Advocat
e said. He said that Rs. 3,360 billion belonging to Karachi have been swallowed by the Sindh government – and the matter was echoed not just by Jamaat-e-Islami but also by bureaucrats and political allies.
He questioned why Wahab avoids answering these allegations.He said Wahab is panicking because corruption in projects like the Hub Canal and Shahrah-e-Bhutto has been exposed.
Saifuddin accused Wahab of distributing Karachi’s parks among relatives and cronies. He added that Jamaat-e-Islami’s principled stance and the High Court’s verdict against such actions have left Wahab visibly disturbed – something the citizens can clearly sense.
He demanded a forensic audit of all projects under KMC and the Sindh government. Referring to the Sindh High Court’s ruling, Saifuddin emphasized that any increase in municipal taxes must be approved by the elected council, but the increase was imposed silently – which he termed completely unlawful.
He asked Murtaza Wahab to decide whether he wants to resolve these matters
through the courts or within the council. Since the formation of the council, regular monthly sessions – as mandated by law – have not been held. ‘He is afraid to face the council,’ Saifuddin said.
He demanded answers regarding corruption and inefficiency in the Hub Canal and Shahrah-e-Bhutto projects. He also clarified that the federal government provides Octroi District Tax to 9 towns, which is only sufficient to cover salaries. Jamaat-e-Islami, he added, has publicly accounted for every rupee. In contrast, the provincial government doesn’t give a single rupee to towns or union councils for development work.
Saifuddin claimed that Murtaza Wahab is suffering from “Jamaat-e-Islami phobia” and is disillusioned about his political future. He said Wahab is frustrated over the collapse of his commercial ventures under the guise of “activities in parks.” Acres of lands in Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim and other parks were being commercially allotted, but the courts have canceled these allotments.
He also questioned the ongo
ing officer transfers happening late at night, asking: “Why are officers being shuffled secretly?” He demanded transparency in the tendering process and asked for timelines for the completion of major projects such as University Road and the Karimabad Underpass.
He held Wahab accountable for the city’s severe water, sewerage, and garbage issues and said the public deserves answers. Saifuddin asserted that the era of Naimatullah Khan was a golden period for Karachi and advised Wahab to reflect on his own performance instead of comparing himself to past leaders.
He concluded by saying that the people of Karachi will not be left alone and that Jamaat-e-Islami will pursue the PPP on every front.