Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi chief Monem Zafar Khan has strongly criticized the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) for what he described as a complete failure to resolve the city’s pressing issues and protect its citizens despite being in power for the past 17 years.
Speaking at a press conference at Idara Noor-e-Haq, he urged the PPP to abandon its “anti-Karachi mindset” and feudal mentality.
Monem Zafar Khan accused both the PPP and MQM of playing a “fixed match,” stating that while they pretend to oppose each other, they remain united in their pursuit of ministries and perks.
He said Jamaat-e-Islami’s “Rights of Karachi” movement would continue until the city’s genuine issues are addressed.
Highlighting the deteriorating law and order, Monem Khan revealed that over 17,000 crimes have taken place in Karachi in just the last three months, resulting in the deaths of 34 citizens due to armed robberies and street crimes.
In addition, 292 people have died in accidents—91 of them involving heavy vehicles.
He accused the police of focusing more on extorting motorcyclists than combating criminals or controlling heavy traffic.
“Trucks, tankers, and dumpers have claimed dozens of lives.
The interior minister, transport minister, IG, and DIG must answer what they’ve done for citizens’ safety,” he demanded.
He also condemned the government’s failure to provide decent public transportation, saying that the lack of mass transit forces citizens to rely on unsafe Qingqi rickshaws.
Referring to the ongoing power crisis, he added, “12-hour power outages during exams are affecting students’ lives and education.
” Referring to recent student examinations, he decried that children were forced to sit on floors due to poor exam arrangements.
“The government’s anti-education policies are pushing students to suffer in this heat,” he added.
Flanked by other JI leaders including Raja Arif Sultan, Zahid Asakri, Najeeb Ayoubi, and Sohaib Ahmed, Khan also slammed the PPP’s response to protests against the controversial canal project in Sindh.
He said that instead of engaging in dialogue, the provincial government used force against protestors—many of whom were lawyers, civil society members, and political activists.
Khan expressed grave concern over environmental and agricultural consequences of the canal project and called for it to be resolved through negotiations, not suppression.
Touching on Karachi’s ongoing water crisis, he criticized the long-delayed K-IV water supply project, saying the cost has ballooned while the city has seen no increase in water supply over the past two decades.
He accused the water tanker mafia—allegedly connected to political actors—of profiting while residents suffer.
“Even a major 84-inch water line on University Road has burst again, wasting thousands of gallons of clean water.
” He blamed Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation’s chairman and city mayor Murtaza Wahab for allowing the tanker mafia to thrive, claiming the racket has political protection extending to Bilawal House.
Khan also denounced K-Electric’s profiteering practices and vowed that Jamaat-e-Islami would continue fighting the company in NEPRA and courts.
“Our struggle will go on until the people’s issues are resolved,” he said.
In a show of solidarity with Gaza, Khan announced that Al-Khidmat Foundation had dispatched its 24th aid consignment—40 tons of relief supplies—for Palestinian victims on April 27.
He called on the public to boycott all Zionist-linked products that economically benefit Israel and promised that Jamaat-e-Islami would intensify its boycott campaign.
