No one is interested in paying KMC’s taxes, laments mayor

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that no one is interested in paying taxes of the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC).

He said this while chairing a meeting at the KMC head office on Saturday regarding measures to combat monsoon rainfalls in the city and KMC’s finances. Municipal Commissioner SM Afzal Zaidi and heads of various departments were also present at the meeting.

The mayor said that they provide fire brigade services, clean the city's storm water drains, and perform other municipal tasks, but citizens do not pay the municipal utility bill.

He stressed that citizens should pay federal and local taxes. “This is the city that runs the country,” he said, adding that if citizens support us, they would not need to look to the federal and Sindh governments for finances.

Mayor Wahab said that rain is a blessing from Allah and not a nuisance. Large and small pumps are available for the drainage of rainwater on all roads under the KMC's jurisdiction. “We are working with a positive mindset. In the past, major roads used to be submerged with rainwater,” he said, adding that various town chairmen affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami were in constant contact.

“There are some issues in the inner city that cause delays in rainwater drainage,” he said, adding that in view of the meteorological department's forecast, all preparations for rainwater drainage were complete.

“Our effort is to minimise the inconvenience faced by citizens. We are not saying that all issues have been resolved; some challenges still exist, but with the cooperation of citizens, we will soon overcome these challenges as well,” he said.

The mayor noted that in the past, rainwater used to enter the birthplace of the founder of Pakistan, Wazir Mansion, but we have worked there, and everyone must have seen that this no longer happens. Rainwater does not accumulate on the road passing in front of the Wazir Mansion either, he added.

The Karachi Water Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), he said, needs to collect the outstanding amount of Rs52 billion from citizens, which they should pay to improve the water supply and drainage system.

With whatever resources the local government has, he said, they are working with full energy and dedication. There are some issues in Karachi's old areas; for which Rs2.25 billion are required to completely replace the Jameela Pumping Station, but they have started work to improve it immediately at a cost of Rs200 million.

Machinery has been ordered to replace the old Jameela Pumping Station, and it has arrived at the Karachi port. “Very soon, we will overcome this issue, and the water supply in old city areas will be further improved,” he said.