Ruckus was observed in the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) City Council on Friday as members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamaat-e-Islami clashed. The clash was triggered by continuous heckling of JI members during the speech of the PPP’s Najmi Alam.
PPP member Panchi and JI member Taimur engaged in a physical brawl and attacked each other with punches and kicks. Members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and some other members tried to intervene and stop the fight. Afterwards, the opposition walked out of the City Council session.
The meeting of the City Council was presided over by Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab. Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad and KMC Metropolitan Commissioner Abrar Jaffer were also present on the occasion.
At the beginning of the session, in the light of the recent conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, parliamentary leaders of various parties praised the Pakistani government and military leadership for playing a decisive role in the situation.
PPP parliamentary leader Karamullah Waqasi said Pakistan played the role of a mediator at the global level and helped reduce tensions between major powers. He added that PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto laid the foundation of the country’s nuclear program for its security. He added that national unity remained essential today as Pakistan was playing an important role in maintaining global peace.
The leader of the opposition, Saifuddin Advocate of the JI, expressed concern over the situation in the Middle East stating that the current conflict was against the Muslims. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz parliamentary leader Feroz Khan praised the Pakistani armed forces.
The PTI parliamentary leader, Mubasher, stated that the Pakistani nation was concerned about Iran and internal issues should also be resolved through mutual understanding. He appreciated the positive actions of the armed forces and government.
PPP member Najmi Alam said Bhutto gave the country its constitution and nuclear capability, and made key national decisions shaping the country’s direction. A resolution was unanimously approved acknowledging Pakistan’s effective diplomacy in managing sensitive international situations and praising President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the military leadership for their leadership in preventing economic crisis and conflict escalation.
Another resolution honored the unanimous adoption of the 1973 Constitution under the leadership of Bhutto, paying tribute to the PPP founder and all pro-democracy leaders who sacrificed their lives for the constitution and democracy.
In total, 13 resolutions were approved, including 11 from the agenda. These included approval for the purchase of 20 electric motorcycles for the vigilance squad; increased stipends for postgraduate trainees and house officers in KMC hospitals from July 2025; approval of development schemes under PC-I in District East, Central and South; settlement of a civil petition and approval of development work at Boulton Market; restoration of the heritage Empress Market with new meat, grocery and vegetable sections and relocation of mutton and beef sections; allocation of revenue from Allender Road property for a term deposit; hiring of the EA Consulting Pvt Ltd for technical support and project implementation; approval of special maintenance work worth over Rs5 million for roads, footpaths, bridges, buildings and zoo; post-facto approval of urgent financial and administrative actions under the Section 80(1)(d) of the Sindh Local Government Act 2013; approval of medical health reimbursement and insurance policies for employees; approval of lab testing charges for hospitals; and renaming of the KMC Media Management Department to Media Public Relations and Publications. Various members expressed their views during the session. The meeting was later adjourned indefinitely.
Mayor slams JI
Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, while addressing a press conference at the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, spoke in detail about the recent situation in the City Council, the behaviour of the opposition, and various civic matters.
He said there are two major opposition parties in the council—Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Jamaat-e-Islami—but a few individuals are responsible for disrupting the environment of the house. He stated that the “hypocritical attitude” of the Jamaat-e-Islami is rejected, adding that the Pakistan Peoples Party believes in tolerance and patience in politics.
Wahab said that when opposition members were present in the council, the atmosphere was tense, but it improved once they staged a walkout. He admitted that treasury members also pointed out shortcomings at times, but emphasized that double standards would not be tolerated in the city.
He said that as mayor, he is accountable to the council and ready to answer every question. Referring to council member Najmi Alam, he said that the latter was merely presenting a historical context but was criticized for it. He added that it is necessary to discuss past periods, including the 2001 local government situation, to bring facts to light.
Wahab accused the opposition of creating disorder through noise and disruption, adding that even their allies were fed up with such behaviour. He said a resolution was presented to expose these double standards.
Referring to the inauguration of Jifco Ground in District Central, he said the project was completed by the Sindh government but inaugurated by someone else, calling it an example of hypocrisy. He added that the resources were provided by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and should be acknowledged.
He said the politics of hypocrisy was practised during past authoritarian regimes, but the people of Karachi have now rejected it. The mayor questioned under which tenure wedding events were held at the KMC Sports Complex and when decisions were made to commercialize buildings.
He added that complaints by towns about lack of authority are incorrect, as the Sindh government has provided them with powers and resources. Criticizing a town chairman’s claim of constructing 600 streets, he said no formal tender was issued, raising questions about transparency.
The mayor announced that he would not dissolve the City Council session and democratic processes would continue. He also criticized the opposition for their absence during rainfall, saying that conditions were better in some areas despite unnecessary criticism.
Regarding billboards, he said allegations against him are baseless and that action will soon be taken at the town level against illegal billboards. Speaking on international affairs, he said he feels proud as a Pakistani and that the country is gaining recognition globally after a long time. He appreciated the role of the prime minister, president and military leadership, stating that there had been positive progress on the diplomatic front. He concluded by reaffirming his commitment to ensuring transparency, accountability, and uniform standards in the city.
