KARACHI: Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab has announced that every Union Committee (UC) will receive Rs100,000 per month for the maintenance of streetlights and the installation or replacement of manhole covers. The allocation, effective from December, is aimed at boosting basic municipal services and addressing long-standing neighbourhood infrastructure issues.
The increased funding comes under the revised local government system, where UCs previously received Rs500,000 monthly. After concerns from various committees that the amount was insufficient, the Sindh Government and PPP leadership approved a revised allocation of Rs1.2 million per UC. Mayor Wahab said the additional Rs100,000 is strictly reserved for streetlight repairs and covering open manholes, even though these tasks also involve the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC).
However, Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi has criticised the move. Opposition Leader in KMC and JI Deputy Ameer Advocate Saifuddin called the announcement a “political gimmick,” claiming a similar allocation was approved in June but never released. He argued that installing 50 manhole covers in UCs with populations of 50,000 would not fix Karachi’s structural problems. Saifuddin said Wahab, who has served four years in office including two as administrator should resign for failing to resolve the city’s key municipal challenges.
