KARACHI: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeem ur Rehman has pledged to rid Karachi of what he described as a “corrupt and land-grabbing system,” taking aim at the Sindh government for the city’s worsening condition and lack of basic facilities.
Addressing a ceremony on Sunday, the JI chief lambasted the provincial authorities for neglecting Karachi’s development needs. “The roads are still in ruins, yet citizens are being slapped with e-challans worth thousands of rupees,” he remarked. “We will free this city from the system of loot, corruption, and land-grabbing.”
Hafiz Naeem said that JI’s representatives were serving residents “beyond their resources” and that progress in nine towns was being monitored by JI members because of “inefficient governance.” He accused the Sindh government of poor planning, citing stalled and mismanaged transport projects. “The Red Line BRT has destroyed University Road, while the Orange Line still fails to reach most parts of Orangi,” he said.
The JI leader further alleged that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) manipulated local body elections through “rigged delimitations,” claiming that Karachi’s mayor was “imposed” rather than elected fairly. “Even now, the promised devolution of power to towns has not happened,” he added.
Criticising the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board, Naeem said that despite collecting hefty fees from residents, garbage disposal remained ineffective. “People are paying for waste removal, but Karachi still stinks,” he remarked.
He also blamed the PPP for years of neglect in completing major infrastructure and employment projects. “From drainage systems to job creation, the PPP has failed Karachi for 15 years,” Hafiz Naeem said, urging the government to eliminate corruption and political interference from civic institutions.
In response, Sindh government spokesperson Sadia Javed rejected the JI chief’s accusations, calling them “baseless propaganda.” She said the JI’s own town chairmen had not delivered on their responsibilities and insisted that Karachi was “moving forward under PPP’s leadership.” Javed added that Hafiz Naeem was “fixated on Mayor Murtaza Wahab instead of working for the people.”
