Karachi: Expressing concern for the performance of certain local bodies, including cities under the control of the opposition Jamat-I-Islami (JI), Sindh’s prime minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has asked all the political interested parties to refrain from the guilt games and fulfill their respective responsibilities to help the recovery of the city.
Talking to the media and answering a question about coordination and responsibility between the agencies during a visit to the city a day after heavy rains whipped the metropolis, the CM expressed concern about the performance of some local representatives, including the presidents of the city of JI, particularly after the formation of the city administrations, which he had led to division and inefficiency in the service.
He recognized certain deficiencies, welcomed constructive criticism and announced a disciplinary action against officials who failed to act.
He underlined the urgent need for modern and efficient drainage systems to mitigate the impact of extreme climate in the future, ensuring urban resilience and citizens’ safety.
CM recognizes deficiencies when dealing with rain, promises disciplinary actions against negligent officials
He said that approximately “160 to 170 millimeters” of rain had fallen within three to four hours, adding to “185 to 200 mm” in 12 hours, levels that naturally cause urban floods in a densely populated city.
Despite the torrential rain, the principal minister said the administration had managed to clean the city’s water late at night.
Remembering the Catastrophic Flood of 2020, he pointed out how water had remained stagnant for more than 24 hours, contrasting it with relatively fast drainage this time.
When addressing the questions, Shah said the World Bank had approved a package of $ 1.6 billion for Karachi in 2020, with $ 100 million already disbursed, mainly to strengthen the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation.
He rejected “deceptive narratives” about the funds, emphasizing that the disbursements were graduated and conditioned on performance. He added that approximately RS28 to RS30B had been used transparently so far for critical water infrastructure updates.
Highlighting the chronic theme of fragmented road cutting permits issued independently by agencies such as acantonation, KDA and KMC joints, proposed to establish a “central authority of road cutting” to regulate and supervise the excavation and repair of the road, thus avoiding repeated damage to the roads of the city.
He also noted that the powers of certain institutions, including the Water Board, had become the mayor’s office to strengthen urban governance. He praised the mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab to improve resources and take practical measures instead of simply demanding funds.
Posted in Dawn, August 21, 2025
