Dr Farooq Sattar alleges illegal excavation at Hill Park, while KMC insists no park land has been allotted
A combination of file photos showing Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab (left) and MQM-P senior leader Dr Farooq Sattar.
A fresh political confrontation erupted over the future of Karachi’s public spaces on Sunday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) accused authorities of facilitating illegal land allotments and environmental destruction at Hill Park, while Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab strongly denied the allegations, insisting that no land belonging to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had been transferred to any party.
Addressing an emergency press conference at Hill Park alongside senior MQM-P leaders Syed Aminul Haque, former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar, Sindh Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi and other party officials, MQM-P senior leader and MNA Dr Farooq Sattar alleged that Karachi’s public lands were being systematically handed over to land grabbers under the patronage of the provincial government.
Dr Sattar claimed that a section of Hill Park had recently been altered through unauthorised excavation and plotting, alleging that the development did not exist in the PECHS master plan. He accused officials of KMC and PECHS of issuing illegal no-objection certificates (NOCs) and demanded an investigation by accountability authorities as well as suo motu action by the Sindh High Court.
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“If the hill is sold today, the entire park could be sold tomorrow,” he warned, calling for action against officials allegedly involved in the matter.
The MQM-P leader also criticised what he described as the re-emergence of encroachments on public lands across the city, including areas around Nehr-e-Khayyam, Beach View and Benazir Bhutto Park. He maintained that his party had previously fought legal battles to remove illegal structures from public spaces, including Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, Kidney Hill Park and Empress Market.
Former mayor Waseem Akhtar urged state institutions to intervene, alleging that Karachi’s public assets were once again under threat from powerful interests. He warned that continued inaction could result in the loss of valuable public land.
During the press conference, Dr Sattar also praised former Sindh governor Kamran Tessori for welfare and educational initiatives, particularly free IT training programmes for thousands of students. He further criticised the Sindh government’s handling of local government affairs and reiterated MQM-P’s longstanding demand for the implementation of Article 140-A of the Constitution to ensure greater autonomy for local bodies.
Responding to the allegations, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab categorically rejected claims that KMC had allotted any portion of Hill Park land.
“Hill Park was, is, and will remain KMC property,” Wahab said, adding that KMC had neither allotted nor intended to allot “even an inch” of land within the park.
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The mayor stated that he had personally ordered work in the Hill Park area to be stopped after reports of activity surfaced during the Eid holidays. According to Wahab, KMC officials visited the site on the fourth day of Eid and halted the work immediately.
He clarified that while Hill Park falls under KMC’s jurisdiction, ownership and regulatory matters concerning surrounding lands and housing societies, including PECHS, are separate issues. Wahab also noted that PECHS is regulated under federal authorities.
Defending his administration’s record, Wahab said KMC was focused on preserving Karachi’s heritage and public spaces. He cited ongoing plans to establish a historical museum at Beach View in collaboration with Citizens Archive Pakistan and the Sindh government, arguing that the project demonstrated the city’s commitment to conservation rather than commercialisation.
The exchange marks the latest chapter in an intensifying political dispute over land management, urban development and the protection of Karachi’s shrinking public spaces, with both sides trading accusations over responsibility for the city’s planning and governance challenges.
Mayor claims Eid cleanup success, JI cries foul
A massive post-Eidul Azha cleanup operation in the city has triggered a fresh political confrontation, with Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab claiming record-breaking waste collection and sanitation performance, while Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) dismissed the exercise as inadequate and accused the city administration of failing to address the metropolis’s chronic civic problems.
Addressing a press conference on the Eid sanitation campaign, the mayor said authorities had remained on the ground throughout the operation, alongside officials of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), elected representatives and sanitation workers.
Praising the efforts of sanitation staff who worked in extreme temperatures, Wahab said the cleanup drive continued for five days, from the Bohra community’s Eid celebrations through the fourth day of Eid observed by the Ahl-e-Hadith community.
According to official figures, a total of 169,961 tonnes of offal and waste were transported to landfill sites at Jam Chakro, Gond Pass and the Sharafi Goth garbage transfer station. Of this, 81,525 tonnes comprised sacrificial animal remains, while 88,436 tonnes consisted of garbage and animal waste.
The mayor said all vehicles participating in the operation were monitored through a centralised tracking system. Authorities collected 9,293 tonnes of offal on the first day of Eid, 27,750 tonnes on the second day, 35,508 tonnes on the third day and more than 8,968 tonnes on the fourth day.
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He said 99 collection points had been established across Karachi’s towns, while 9,326 pieces of additional machinery and equipment, including 341 large dumpers, were deployed for the operation. More than 23,400 sanitation workers participated in the campaign.
Wahab said citizens were provided access to a 24-hour helpline and mobile application for complaints and service requests. Of the 1,330 complaints received during the operation, around 90 per cent were addressed, he added.
The mayor rejected criticism from opposition parties, particularly JI and MQM-P, saying political rivals had continued to criticise the operation while remaining engaged in their own activities during Eid.
“Instead of holding press conferences and indulging in criticism, all stakeholders should work together for the city,” he said, adding that partisan politics often hindered efforts to improve municipal services.
Referring to remarks made by JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Eid day, Wahab questioned how conclusions about the operation’s failure could have been drawn before the cleanup process had fully unfolded. Wahab claimed this year’s operation had outperformed previous years.
However, JI’s elected union committee chairmen strongly disputed the mayor’s assessment, accusing the city administration of attempting to conceal poor performance through political rhetoric and publicity.
In a joint statement, the party said residents had continued to report complaints regarding uncollected offal, garbage and unhygienic conditions throughout the Eid holidays. It noted that images and reports showing piles of waste in different parts of the city remained visible on television channels and social media platforms until the fourth day of Eid.
“If the arrangements were truly exemplary, why did residents across the city continue to complain?” the statement asked.
JI argued that Karachi’s problems extend far beyond the Eid period, pointing to persistent issues including garbage accumulation, deteriorating roads, sewerage failures and water shortages.
The party said citizens were no longer interested in official claims or publicity campaigns and instead expected tangible improvements in municipal services. It accused the Sindh government and local government institutions of failing to resolve basic urban issues, resulting in growing public frustration.
The statement further criticised the mayor’s remarks about welfare activities, saying public service initiatives undertaken through charitable organisations should not be ridiculed or politicised.
