THE local government elections were held in Karachi after a court order. Three major political parties were the stakeholders, while the fourth boycotted the elections. However, no political party got a majority good enough for having its mayor in place. The wait has continued.

Recently, Pakistan celebrated 50 years of the 1973 Constitution, but the 18th amendment of the same document enshrines the provincial governments to empower local governments. No such efforts have been made for years.

Karachi does not have a mayor and it also does not have heads of union councils and councillors. Having gone round and round in circles, political parties should sit together to resolve the deadlock over city’s mayorship.

The city is already in a state of utter neglect. One does not have to go farther than the main University Road. The chaos, confusion and callousness on display along the length of that road, from Jail Chowrangi to Safoora Goth, is enough to have a taste of what life in Karachi means.

With heatwaves and monsoon in the offing, will the political parties leave the city leaderless in such critical times? The city deserves a better deal. It really does.

Muhammad Hassan Abbasi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2023