Almost 40 percent of the solid waste generated daily in Karachi is being left uncollected, creating a severe public health crisis and prompting accusations of government negligence.
This was stated by Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor in a statement issued on Sunday. Mr Shakoor asserted that the metropolis, with a population exceeding 20 million, produces more than 12,000 tons of refuse each day. He claimed that the failure of a “corrupt administration” and its “negligent private contractors” to manage this output results in vast quantities of rubbish rotting in streets, open plots, and stormwater drains.
The PDP chairman highlighted the grave health implications for the city’s inhabitants, stating that the uncollected trash serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes and rodents. He linked this directly to epidemics of vector-borne illnesses such as dengue and malaria, in addition to widespread gastrointestinal diseases.
Shakoor further warned that toxic runoff from the decaying garbage is contaminating groundwater. He added that debris chokes the city’s coastline, threatening marine life, while the clogged drainage system worsens monsoon flooding, causing extensive damage to homes and businesses.
According to Shakoor, the economic toll of the inefficient waste management is “staggering.” He pointed to rising healthcare expenses, lost productivity due to illness, and property damage as factors draining the local economy, alongside missed opportunities for revenue from recycling and waste-to-energy initiatives.
Despite billions of rupees from taxpayers and international funding being allocated to solid waste management, the system remains a “failure,” the PDP leader alleged. He attributed this to a “corrupt and kickback culture” in the awarding of contracts, claiming it is an “open secret” that top political figures are involved in the malpractice.
Shakoor suggested that solutions are attainable if the government acts with honesty. He called for the modernisation of landfill sites and recycling facilities, the introduction of waste-to-energy projects, and public awareness campaigns to promote household waste segregation.
He urged the administration to take decisive, practical steps, concluding that what Karachi needs is “not more promises, but a clean break from the filth of failure”.