During his official visit to China, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab toured the Urban Planning Office in Shanghai, where he received a detailed briefing on the city’s modern infrastructure and long-term planning strategies.
The visit marked a key step toward exploring smart urban development models for Karachi, KMC reported on Friday.
Mayor Wahab, accompanied by Municipal Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi, KMC Financial Advisor Gulzar Ali Abro, and Senior Director Culture and Sports Mehdi Maluf, was welcomed by Chinese officials and urban experts who shared insights into Shanghai’s integrated systems and future-focused planning.
Impressed by Shanghai’s urban model, Wahab expressed a strong interest in adopting similar approaches to improve Karachi’s municipal governance and public service delivery. He stressed that information exchange and international collaboration are essential to transforming Karachi into a safer, more efficient, and sustainable city.
The delegation was briefed on smart infrastructure systems, modern transit networks, and data-driven urban management tools used in Shanghai. Wahab noted that integrated technology and planning could help reduce urban challenges and improve the quality of life for Karachi’s citizens.
He underlined that the visit has opened new avenues for cooperation between Karachi and Shanghai in areas such as urban planning, smart city technology, and public transport development. The Karachi administration, he added, would revisit its strategies in light of the insights gained during the visit.
Terming it a forward-looking initiative, Mayor Wahab stated that the dream of providing Karachi’s citizens with better travel and civic facilities is now closer to reality. He concluded that with vision, sincerity, and practical efforts, the trajectory of a city can indeed be changed.