Mayor complains of Karachi’s exclusion from Export Development Fund to federal minister

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has formally written to Federal Minister for Commerce and Chairman of the Export Development Fund (EDF) Board Jam Kamal Khan to voice strong concern over Karachi’s continued exclusion from the allocation and utilisation of Export Development Funds.

In the letter, Wahab noted that Karachi accounted for nearly 55 per cent of Pakistan’s total exports, making it the country's economic engine. Despite this pivotal role, the city had received little to no support from the very fund established to enhance export infrastructure across Pakistan.

“It is unfortunate to note that there has been no significant contribution made by the Export Development Fund to catalyse Karachi’s export sector,” wrote the mayor. “Unjust allocation and utilisation of funds reinforce the perception that the Federal Government is ignoring Karachi.”

Wahab emphasised that as Pakistan’s largest metropolis and commercial capital, Karachi had been experiencing rapid growth in both population and industrial output, necessitating increased investment in logistics, infrastructure and export-related services.

He urged that development funding must reflect both Karachi’s economic contribution and its evolving needs. He also requested the EDF board to provide details of fund allocations over the past 10 years, and called for transparency regarding any current or planned projects in Karachi, if any.

“There can be no economic stability without Karachi’s inclusion. Ignoring its rightful share is not only unjust, but also counterproductive to national growth,” he stated. While expressing confidence in Kamal’s leadership, Wahab called for immediate corrective action to ensure Karachi was no longer sidelined in federal export promotion initiatives.