Mayor of Karachi, Murtaza Wahab, has declared his commitment to addressing the issue of illegal parking in the city. Wahab emphasized that market owners cannot levy parking fees on government roads and vowed to take action against those extorting money under the guise of parking charges. He criticized the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) for failing to address this issue and assured that action would be taken against individuals involved in extortion.
Earlier, authorities decided to launch a major crackdown on illegal charged parking spots in Karachi, which have been unlawfully charging people for parking.
The Additional Chief Secretary directed authorities to bring the parking mafia and its facilitators to justice, involving traffic police and district administration in the crackdown.
Instructions were given to register FIRs against those establishing illegally charged parking spots and to record contractors’ names and complaint numbers at all parking areas. Specific colors were proposed to define parking zones and footpaths, aiming to regulate parking effectively. Charged parking spots have become prevalent in various areas of Karachi, particularly near hospitals, markets, and public parks, with some operated by private individuals. This crackdown is not the first attempt to address the issue of illegal parking in Karachi.