The opposition calls the plan “Karachi’s worst budget” and promises a new censorship measure
KARACHI:
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) on Sunday approved its Rs 60 billion budget for the 2026-27 financial year after a stormy City Council session, with Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab describing it as a roadmap for continued development, while the opposition dismissed it as grossly unsuitable for Pakistan’s economic hub.
The budget was approved by a majority vote after hours of debate, capping a session marked by intense exchanges between the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and members of the opposition over Karachi’s finances, governance and development priorities.
Presenting the third budget of his term, Wahab said the financial plan had been prepared with a focus on infrastructure development, municipal services and employee welfare despite financial and administrative challenges inherited from previous administrations. “We have tried to present a balanced budget in line with the needs of the city while keeping the improvement of infrastructure and civic services at the forefront,” he told council. The mayor added that party president Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had given priority to the development of Karachi with the aim of making it an international city.
Defending his administration’s performance, Wahab highlighted projects completed during the outgoing fiscal year, including the reconstruction of Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Jinnah Bridge, Khalid Bin Waleed Road and Azim Pura flyover, along with extensive road repairs, sewage upgrades and pavement works across the city.
He also announced a series of governance reforms for the coming year, including GIS mapping of all KMC properties, a fully digital payment system through electronic transfers, introduction of pension cards for retired employees and issuance of municipal bonds, making KMC the first municipal authority in Pakistan to formally approve the financing instrument.
Wahab said the civic body had also expanded employee welfare by moving salaries and pensions to the SAP digital system, extending health insurance to around 11,500 employees and ensuring that monthly salaries are paid before the first day of every month for the first time in almost 25 years.
He also highlighted the restoration of heritage buildings, the expansion of parks and sports facilities, improvements in public hospitals, solarization of public lighting and environmental initiatives, including urban forests and mangrove plantations. “The development works speak for themselves,” the mayor said, adding that the projects had improved civic amenities while preserving Karachi’s historical heritage.
Following the budget’s approval, opposition leader Saifuddin Advocate launched a fierce attack on the financial plan, calling it “Karachi’s worst budget” and arguing that the Rs 60 billion allocation fell far short of the city’s needs. “The Rs 60 billion budget is a cruel joke. Karachi needs at least Rs 300 billion,” he said, maintaining that a city that contributes most of the country’s tax revenue cannot function with what he described as inadequate allocation. Saifuddin questioned how significant development could be undertaken when KMC’s own projected revenue was only Rs 6,500 crore. He accused the Sindh government of retaining control over Karachi’s key financial institutions and resources, alleging that the city had been deprived of funds needed to address its deteriorating infrastructure.
He also alleged that opposition members were prevented from fully debating the budget during the council session, describing the proceedings as “broken down”.
The opposition leader further questioned why KMC had failed to recover Rs850 million in outstanding dues from K-Electric, describing the financial plan as “anti-Karachi” and arguing that it offered little to address the city’s long-standing civic challenges.
Saifuddin maintained that despite contributing the overwhelming share of Sindh’s revenue, Karachi continued to receive inadequate financial allocation, making it impossible to undertake meaningful development.
Despite the heated debate, the council approved the budget by a majority vote. The opposition announced that it would once again attempt to file a no-confidence motion against Mayor Wahab after the budget session once it obtained the required figures, indicating that the passage of the budget on Sunday is unlikely to end the political feud over Karachi’s finances and governance.
