KARACHI — Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday underlined the city’s urgent need for federal support, saying even Rs200 billion would be insufficient to address its chronic development challenges. He also quipped that any comment about Punjab might upset Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
Speaking at the inauguration of a new cath lab at the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases, Wahab said the facility had already conducted three operations earlier in the day and would help ease pressure on patients in Federal B Area who previously had to travel to the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases.
The mayor lamented that criticism alone did little to solve Karachi’s problems, insisting that massive financial resources were required. “If I do not seek help from the prime minister for Karachi, then from whom should I?” he remarked, while stressing that the current Rs20 billion allocation fell far short of the city’s needs.
He added that if Rs200 billion were set aside, even that would not be enough. “Karachi deserves its rightful share. If a company is created for the city’s development, there should be no objection. My only demand is that my city receives what it deserves,” he said.
Commenting on Punjab, Wahab said: “If I say anything about Punjab, Maryam Bibi will get upset. She has spoken about water issues and canals, and the people of Punjab are in difficulty. It is our duty to ease their problems.”
Wahab also pledged tough action against corruption in Karachi Metropolitan Corporation institutions, declaring that public funds must be protected. He pointed to healthcare improvements under public-private partnerships, citing Spencer Eye Hospital, where 200 surgeries had been performed in two and a half months with new equipment and free testing facilities.
He further announced plans to install modern machinery at hospitals and to inaugurate a new block at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital later this month, despite what he described as political hurdles.
Meanwhile, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari urged the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to avoid engaging in blame games. Speaking on a private television program, she said that any competition should be based on performance.
Bukhari argued that the PPP fears Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s impressive governance record. “Constructive advice from allies is welcome, but instead of giving meaningful suggestions, PPP has opted for politics,” she remarked.
She also highlighted that Punjab was not relying on foreign aid, questioning why unnecessary pressure was being created. Bukhari criticised interference in provincial administrative affairs and said humanitarian issues should not be politicised.
Recalling the floods in Sindh, she noted that Punjab had refrained from political point-scoring at the time, but accused PPP of now indulging in the same over relief efforts in Punjab.
Bukhari emphasised that the coalition between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and PPP was ensuring stability and progress, but warned that political competition must remain constructive and performance-driven rather than devolving into accusations.
