KARACHI: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) on Saturday lashed out at the Sindh government over Karachi’s civic issues, demanding that the federal government use constitutional provisions to force the provincial government to urgently implement the Karachi Strategic Development Plan (KSDP) 2020.

Addressing a press conference, party leader Haider Abbas Rizvi accused the provincial government of intentionally discarding the KSDP -2020 and wasting trillions meant for development projects, labelling the government “a national criminal”.

He said that the federal government should invoke Article 149, which grants it certain powers to issue directives to the provincial government to ensure compliance with federal policies or laws.

The KSDP-2020 was prepared by the Master Plan Group of Offices (MPGO) and the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to make the Karachi a world-class city and an attractive economic centre with a decent quality of life for Karachiites.

The MQM-P leader said that KSDP-2020, unanimously approved by the then city’s elected government and gazetted in 2020 by the Supreme Court’s Water Commission, was deliberately discarded by the Sindh government.

“Now, claims are being made that Karachi lacks a master plan, whereas a new, fabricated plan is being devised to further stall the city’s development,” he added.

He also demanded that the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 2017 initiate an investigation into those responsible, including government members and officials, for not implementing the KSDP 2020, and that those found guilty be punished.

Flanked by party lawmakers from the Sindh and National assemblies, he stated that the Sindh government was “infringing upon the basic rights of Karachi’s residents, exploiting them relentlessly”.

Mr Rizvi said that the city, which contributed over “70 per cent” of Pakistan’s revenue and “98pc” of Sindh’s, was “being crushed by the dumper mafia”.

“Over 600 lives were lost last year, rains flooded the city, sewers overflowed, diseases spread, yet the rulers claimed everything was fine,” he deplored.

He said Karachi’s residents had been buying water for 20 years, children “lacked access” to basic vaccines, and the Sindh government had “mismanaged billions” meant for rabies vaccination.

“The city’s roads are unusable, vehicles become unroadworthy within three years, and corruption has ruined key infrastructure like Shahrah Bhutto, University Road, Hub Canal, and Karimabad Underpass,” he said, adding that street crime was rampant, with over “54,000” incidents reported last year, but the provincial government remained inactive, allegedly complicit with the mafia.

MQM-P Senator Khalida Ateeb, MNAs Ahmed Saleem Siddiqui, Sabheen Ghauri and Rana Ansar, and MPAs Abdul Waseem, Mazahir Amir, Jamal Ahmed, Dr Abdul Basit, Ijazul Haq, Adil Askari, Faisal Rafique, Rana Shaukat, Farah Sohail, Bilqis Mukhtar, and Quratul Ain were also present on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2025