KMC council session turns into 'battleground'

The City Council meeting of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation descended into chaos on Friday as heated exchanges between members escalated into physical altercations, disrupting proceedings for the second consecutive session. During the meeting, members of the ruling party and opposition, including representatives of the Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, reportedly came to blows, with punches, slaps and kicks exchanged on the council floor. According to reports, tensions flared when objections were raised over seating arrangements near the mayor's desk. The opposition argued that limited seating forced them to sit in that area, while government members objected to their presence close to the mayor's seat. The situation escalated during a speech by a PPP member when verbal altercations turned into physical confrontation. Chairs were reportedly used during the scuffle, turning the house into what members described as a "battlefield." Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab remained seated during the incident, while the situation continued unchecked for several minutes. Opposition members later staged a walkout in protest. Following the disruption, PPP members later persuaded the opposition to return to the session, after which proceedings briefly resumed and resolutions were passed at a rapid pace. Later, Mayor Wahab addressed a press conference, criticising the opposition for disrupting the meeting. He said efforts were made to maintain a peaceful environment to discuss public issues, but a few members created disorder. He also stated that government members were not allowed to speak and that slogans were raised to derail proceedings.