Munim Zafar Khan, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Karachi, has strongly criticized the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the “occupying” mayor for their failure to clean the city’s drainage system ahead of the monsoon season.

In response to a recent meeting chaired by the Karachi Commissioner, where 400 choking points in drains were identified and cleaning efforts announced, Khan dismissed these as “superficial actions” and warned that delays could lead to severe consequences for Karachi’s residents, including loss of lives.

Khan highlighted that the KMC was responsible for completing drain cleaning before the monsoon season but failed to do so. He noted that even light rainfall a week ago caused major drains to overflow, flooding roads and causing significant distress and transportation issues for citizens. Despite Rs. 410 million being allocated last year for drain cleaning, the task remained incomplete. This year’s Rs. 600 million budget has yet to yield results, with 400 clogged points still plaguing the system.

JI’s opposition leader in KMC, Saifuddin Advocate, had repeatedly raised alarms about the drains, personally inspecting several and warning of their dire state, filled with garbage and debris. Khan questioned why the KMC and mayor ignored these warnings, only announcing cleaning efforts at the last minute. He recalled last year’s unfulfilled promises, which led to accidents, including vehicles and motorbikes falling into overflowing drains, resulting in loss of life and property.

Khan urged immediate and emergency action to clear the drains, warning that the KMC’s negligence could exacerbate the city’s vulnerability to monsoon-related disasters. He emphasized that without swift, effective measures, Karachi’s citizens would bear the brunt of its administration’s incompetence.