Warns contractors of cancellations, penalties, and disciplinary action over continued delays
KARACHI — In a decisive move to tackle long-standing development delays, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has issued a strict 60-day deadline for the completion of all pending or near-finished projects across the city. He also ordered the immediate cancellation of contracts for several non-performing schemes, warning that negligence and inefficiency would no longer be tolerated.
The announcement was made during a high-level review meeting held at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Head Office, where the mayor reviewed the progress of 637 ongoing development projects. Officials briefed him that despite the issuance of award letters, many projects had yet to commence, while several others had missed multiple completion deadlines.
“This level of inaction is unacceptable,” Wahab remarked, visibly frustrated over the slow pace of work. “It reflects a lack of accountability and poor governance. Karachi’s people have waited long enough they deserve visible, timely improvements in their city’s infrastructure.”
During the briefing, Senior Director of Engineering Junaid Ullah Khan informed the meeting that 118 new projects under the Provincial Annual Development Programme (ADP) were underway. These included 11 schemes in District East, 28 in Central, 21 in West, 20 in Korangi, and 14 managed by the Electrical & Mechanical (E&M) Wing. Several additional schemes are being financed through special allocations.
Under the E&M department’s solarisation initiative, two streets have already been converted to solar power, while work on Sharae Faisal is scheduled to begin soon.
To speed up infrastructure repairs, the mayor also announced the creation of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), which will operate on a fast-track basis to address road damage and other urgent urban maintenance issues across the metropolis.
Officials were directed to ensure that all pending projects are completed within the next two months. Wahab warned that any further delay would lead to immediate disciplinary action, financial penalties, and blacklisting of negligent contractors.
“This city cannot afford complacency any longer,” he said firmly. “We will only move forward when accountability becomes the rule not the exception.”
