Irked by JI banners on civic woes, mayor Wahab warns printing presses of shutdown

• Wahab sees banners, posters affixed by Jamaat as a blot on city’s beauty
• Forms KMC vigilance squad on e-bikes to curb vandalism by addicts

KARACHI: The tussle between the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and opposition Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) over governance and deteriorating civic conditions in Karachi further intensified on Wednesday as Mayor Murtaza Wahab issued a direct warning to seal printing presses publishing banners that promote the opposition’s narrative.

The PPP’s mayor argued that display of such messages “destroys the city’s cleanliness and damages the city image”.

Apparently, the target of the mayor’s warning was JI’s “Haq Do Karachi Ko” movement.

The JI has intensified its campaign through displaying banners and messaging across the city, highlighting fundamental issues such as sanitation and breakdown of infrastructure.

The PPP-led city administration, however, views these tactics as “unlawful and disruptive”, arguing that these banners not only violate regulations, but also undermine efforts to maintain order and cleanliness in public spaces.

“I am noticing banners put up on specific traffic signals across the city,” he said while talking to reporters at the KMC headquarters after distribution of electric bikes to the vigilance squad of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

“There is a slogan ‘clean Karachi’ and below it is written Jamaat-i-Islami. I would like to ask that if you go out on the streets and put up banners, will that clean the city? If you paste posters on clean walls, will that make the city clean,” he asked and added: “I am seriously considering holding a meeting with the city administration that all printing presses involved in producing such banners should be sealed. This is not a lawful advertisement and action should be taken against anyone engaged in illegal activity.”

He described the JI as “hypocrites”, which he accused of taking credit of development in its nine towns which were actually being carried out by the KMC.

He said that the JI’s criticism of the Lyari Transformation project was unjustified as the KMC had carried out practical work and Shahrah-i-Noor Jahan was constructed by the KMC, but banners thanking JI were placed there.

Earlier, Mayor Wahab distributed 20 electric bikes among members of the KMC vigilance squad.

Addressing the ceremony, he said the establishment of the KMC vigilance squad was an important step to protect the city’s infrastructure and prevent illegal activities.

He said that the purpose of forming the vigilance squad was to ensure that no one carries out illegal road cutting or damages public infrastructure.

“The squad will also monitor whether drug addicts are damaging streetlights, cables or other government property,” he said.

“In the past, city wardens were assigned irrelevant duties and the use of official vehicles led to increased fuel expenses. Due to the recent rise in fuel prices, financial pressure on institutions has increased. While the situation remains that KMC carries out development work but others cause damage through illegal road cutting and streetlights are stolen after installation. The use of electric bikes by the squad will not only improve operational efficiency but also help save fuel and charging stations have been set up at various locations for staff convenience.”

Flanked by KMC City Council Parliamentary Leader Karamullah Waqasi, Deputy Parliamentary Leader Dil Muhammad, Juman Darwan, Musarrat Niazi, council members, elected representatives and KMC officials, the mayor said that the KMC was rapidly moving towards green energy and the Jamshed Nusserwanjee Mehta Building had already been shifted to solar power, while hospitals and pumping stations were also being solarised, which would significantly reduce electricity costs.

The mayor vowed that that more steps would be taken in the future to promote fuel efficiency and environmentally friendly policies and trucks, vehicles, and motorcycles would gradually be shifted to electric vehicles.

He also informed that the Water Corporation and the KMC had decided to work jointly and assured all towns and institutions of full cooperation for the betterment of the city.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026