Missing Mayor

As the head of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and Karachi’s local government system, the mayor of Karachi is a key figure whose presence is of paramount significance for the effective working of all departments. At the moment, however, Karachi’s mayor remains nonexistent. The impasse on choosing the next mayor of Karachi is causing a hassle as well as distress among the various offices connected to the mayor’s office. Since 1933, Karachi has seen 29 mayors. These include 15 mayors in the post-independence era from 1947 to 2016.

Karachi does not have a municipality. The delay in holding polls across eleven union communities has caused this predicament. Some opine that the Sindh Government is behind this while some blamed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Moreover, the transparency of the electoral process for choosing a mayor of Karachi has also been highlighted in recent times. This delay is sending Karachi into a continuous whirlwind of uncertainties at the social, economic, and political levels.

This indecision is also a cause of concern for the citizens who want an authority figure to have their problems resolved. It is also interfering with the decision-making process along with the strategizing of plans that have already been delayed.

The ECP is facing much of the backlash in this regard. The ECP must comprehend the gravity of the situation at hand and how it is affecting the status quo. A city as large and important as Karachi to be functioning without a leader of its municipal operations is a matter of concern. If the decision to select a mayor is not taken in the near future, the citizens may continue to lose their faith in the system. This will also lead to a lack of participation and engagement by the office bearers. A national disconnect may follow when Karachi may not engage in the national building process with other cities.

The delay in the election has also made an impact on the city’s governance. The vacuum of leadership will create gaps among the office bearers who do not have someone to look up to for guidance. Moreover, the city’s various functions – both short-term and long-term – need to be developed for the effective working of the city’s various offices coming under the metropolitan corporation. Aspects such as but not limited to urban planning and development, public services, law and order, economic development, environmental management, and social services, require leadership for effective governance.

A mayor-less Karachi may enter into an era where lack of coordination leads to inefficiencies in creating and implementing plans, delays in making decisions, and conflicts among those stakeholders who want to run the show. This lack of leadership may surface an inadequate service delivery where essential services including water, sanitation, waste management, and transportation are not provided to the citizens.
Corruption, mismanagement, and abuse of resources are also unchecked when a city does not have a leader. Furthermore, political instability is created and rises to unprecedented levels when a mayor is non-existent.

There is a common perception that the job of a mayor is that of a figurehead. It is much more than that. A mayor is responsible for developing and implementing necessary plans for the city’s growth and development. This includes managing land use, transportation, and infrastructure development. The mayor also has to be accountable for providing public services. The mayor’s leadership also makes him responsible for maintaining law and order across the city. The mayor’s office works in close collaboration with law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of residents. Another key responsibility is to perform tasks about economic development.

The mayor is accountable for promoting economic development in Karachi. This includes attracting investment and creating job opportunities along with promoting trade, commerce, and industrial activities. Planning for a better environment is also a part of the mayor’s job description. The mayor has to keep the city clean and green by managing activities that ensure the city is kept clean. Activities include managing the quality of air and water, reducing pollution, and promoting plans that encourage sustainable activities. At a broader level, the mayor has powers to control sectors and services including energy supply, city roads, waste management, and water management, In October 2022, the Sindh government bestowed the mayor of Karachi with more powers.

With the mayor’s seat remaining unoccupied, various factions across the city may try to claim ownership of the city. This may be done for vested interests at the political and economic levels.

It has been nearly three months since the local government elections were held in Karachi. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) led the polls followed by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI).
In March, while addressing an event in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah reiterated his viewpoint that the mayor of Karachi will emerge from the PPP. Since the local government election results were announced, the JI claimed to be the real winners. However, the PPP has continued to ascertain that it is in the lead. Sincere efforts are required by those at the helms of affairs to conduct fair elections at the earliest to elect the next mayor of Karachi. The city needs a leader to steer it through the many challenges that it faces.