Dr Farooq Sattar alleges illegal excavations at Hill Park, while KMC insists no park land was allocated
A combination of archive photos showing Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab (left) and senior MQM-P leader Dr Farooq Sattar.
A new political confrontation erupted on Sunday over the future of Karachi’s public spaces when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) accused authorities of facilitating illegal land allocation and environmental destruction in Hill Park, while Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab strongly denied the allegations, insisting that no land belonging to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had been transferred to any party.
Addressing an emergency press conference at Hill Park alongside senior MQM-P leaders Syed Aminul Haque, former Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar, Sindh Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi and other party officials, senior MQM-P leader and MP Dr Farooq Sattar alleged that public land in Karachi was being systematically handed over to land grabbers under government patronage provincial.
Dr Sattar claimed that a section of Hill Park had recently been altered by unauthorized excavations and alignments, alleging that the development did not exist in the PECHS master plan. He accused the KMC and PECHS officials of issuing illegal no-objection certificates (NOC) and demanded an investigation by the responsible authorities and suo motu action by the Sindh High Court.
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“If the hill is sold today, the entire park could be sold tomorrow,” he warned, calling for action against those allegedly involved in this affair.
The MQM-P leader also criticized what he described as the re-emergence of encroachments on public land across the city, including areas around Nehr-e-Khayyam, Beach View and Benazir Bhutto Park. He maintained that his party had already fought legal battles to remove illegal structures from public spaces, including Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, Kidney Hill Park and Empress Market.
Former mayor Waseem Akhtar urged state institutions to intervene, alleging that Karachi’s public assets were once again under threat from powerful interests. He warned that continued inaction could result in the loss of valuable public lands.
During the press conference, Dr Sattar also praised former Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori for his social and educational initiatives, especially the free IT training programs for thousands of students. He further criticized the Sindh government’s handling of local government affairs and reiterated the MQM-P’s long-standing demand for implementation of Article 140-A of the Constitution to ensure greater autonomy to local bodies.
Responding to the allegations, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab categorically rejected allegations that KMC allocated part of the Hill Park land.
“Hill Park was, is and will remain the property of the KMC,” Wahab said, adding that the KMC had neither allocated nor planned to allocate “even an inch” of land inside the park.
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The mayor said he personally ordered work to stop in the Hill Park area after reports of activity surfaced during the Eid holiday. According to Wahab, KMC officials visited the site on the fourth day of Eid and immediately stopped the work.
He clarified that while Hill Park falls under the jurisdiction of KMC, ownership and regulatory issues regarding surrounding land and housing societies, including PECHS, are separate issues. Wahab also noted that PECHS is regulated by federal authorities.
Defending his administration’s record, Wahab said KMC was focused on preserving Karachi’s heritage and public spaces. He cited ongoing plans to establish a historical museum in Beach View in collaboration with Citizens Archive Pakistan and the Sindh government, arguing that the project demonstrated the city’s commitment to conservation rather than commercialization.
The exchange marks the latest chapter in an escalating political conflict over land management, urban development and the protection of Karachi’s dwindling public spaces, with both sides blaming each other over responsibility for the city’s planning and governance challenges.
Mayor claims Eid cleanup success, JI cries scandal
A massive clean-up operation in the city after Eidul Azha has sparked a fresh political showdown, with mayor’s lawyer Murtaza Wahab claiming record performance in waste collection and sanitation, while the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) dismissed the exercise as inadequate and accused the city administration of failing to address the metropolis’ chronic civic problems.
Addressing a press conference on the Eid sanitation drive, the mayor said authorities remained on the ground throughout the operation, along with Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) officials, elected representatives and sanitation workers.
Lauding the efforts of sanitation personnel who worked in extreme temperatures, Wahab said the cleaning campaign continued for five days from the Eid celebrations of the Bohra community to the fourth day of Eid observed by the Ahl-e-Hadith community.
According to official figures, a total of 169,961 tonnes of offal and waste were transported to landfills at Jam Chakro, Gond Pass and Sharafi Goth garbage transfer station. Of this total, 81,525 tonnes consisted of remains of sacrificial animals, while 88,436 tonnes consisted of garbage and animal excrement.
The mayor said all vehicles participating in the operation were monitored through a centralized tracking system. Authorities collected 9,293 tonnes of offal on the first day of Eid, 27,750 tonnes on the second day, 35,508 tonnes on the third day and over 8,968 tonnes on the fourth day.
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He said 99 collection points had been established in cities across Karachi, while 9,326 pieces of additional machinery and equipment, including 341 large dumpers, had been deployed for the operation. More than 23,400 sanitation workers participated in the campaign.
Wahab said citizens have access to a 24-hour hotline and a mobile application for complaints and service requests. Of the 1,330 complaints received during the operation, about 90 percent were resolved, he added.
The mayor rejected criticism from opposition parties, particularly JI and MQM-P, saying their political rivals continued to criticize the operation while remaining engaged in their own activities during Eid.
“Instead of holding press conferences and engaging in criticism, all stakeholders should work together for the city,” he said, adding that partisan politics often hindered efforts to improve city services.
Referring to remarks made by JI chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman on Eid, Wahab wondered how conclusions about the failure of the operation could have been drawn before the clean-up process was fully rolled out. Wahab said this year’s operation had outperformed previous years.
However, the elected chairmen of the JI union committee strongly disputed the mayor’s assessment, accusing the city administration of trying to cover up its poor performance through political rhetoric and publicity.
In a joint statement, the party said residents continued to report complaints about uncollected offal, garbage and unsanitary conditions throughout the Eid holiday. He noted that images and reports showing piles of waste in different parts of the city remained visible on television channels and social media platforms until the fourth day of Eid.
“If the arrangements were truly exemplary, why did city residents continue to complain?” » asked the statement.
JI argued that Karachi’s problems extend well beyond the Eid period, pointing to ongoing problems including accumulation of garbage, deteriorating roads, sewerage breakdowns and water shortages.
The party said citizens were no longer interested in official demands or advertising campaigns and instead expected tangible improvements in municipal services. He accuses the Sindh government and local government institutions of failing to address fundamental urban problems, leading to growing frustration among the people.
The statement further criticized the mayor’s remarks on social activities, saying that public service initiatives undertaken through charitable organizations should not be ridiculed or politicized.
