Mayor Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday issued a stern warning against unauthorised political demonstrations, stating that no one would be permitted to stage sit-ins without permission, during a ceremony where he also announced a significant financial turnaround for the city’s water utility.
Responding to questions from media representatives, Barrister Wahab specifically targeted the Jamaat-e-Islami and its leader, Naeem ur Rehman. He remarked that it “was not written in the destiny” of Mr Rehman to become Mayor and criticised him for issuing ultimatums despite not having taken his oath as either a UC Chairman or a Member of the Sindh Assembly.
The Mayor challenged Jamaat-e-Islami to first address the condition of the nine towns it governs, noting the party has “billions of rupees” at its disposal. He contrasted their “politics of self-promotion” with his own approach, stating the city requires developmental work, not political flags.
The Mayor”s comments were made at the formal inauguration of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW and SC) Unified App, held at the utility”s head office on Shahrah-e-Faisal. The event was attended by KW and SC CEO Ahmed Ali Siddiqui and other senior officials.
During the ceremony, Barrister Wahab revealed that the Water Corporation’s revenue had increased substantially, with Rs 2.20 billion deposited into its account in January 2026, compared to a previous income of around Rs 950 million. He stressed that the benefit of this increased revenue must directly reach citizens through improved services.
The newly launched Unified App, available in Urdu, English, and Sindhi, is designed to modernise the complaint registration system previously handled by the 1334 helpline. It also introduces online payment for water tankers, a move the Mayor said would help eliminate corruption.
Through the application, citizens can track tanker dispatches and view the revenue deposited against them. The Mayor also noted that residents who do not receive physical bills can now instantly access them by entering their consumer number on the app.
Highlighting a critical use for the new funds, the Mayor addressed the severe water crisis in Steel Town, affecting a population of nearly one million. He explained that Pakistan Steel Mills, which owes the KW and SC Rs 12 billion, had cut off the area”s water supply.
In response, the KW and SC has initiated a project to install new water lines for Steel Town at a cost of Rs 500 million. The Mayor expressed hope that the work would be completed by Ramadan, restoring the residents” “basic right” to water.
Mr Wahab underscored the city”s significant water challenge, stating Karachi requires 550 million gallons of water daily, which should generate Rs 5 billion in monthly revenue, a figure that is currently not being recovered.
He outlined a spending target of Rs 46 billion for the current year, promising improved transparency. He also mentioned that consideration is being given to creating manhole covers without iron to deter theft and that discussions are ongoing to bring Rescue 1122 and the Fire Brigade under a one-window operation.
Concluding his address, the Mayor called for a collective effort to strengthen institutions and focus on the city”s betterment over political blame games. He asserted that Karachi demands “work, not politics,” and that is the mindset with which he is moving forward.