KMC may collect tax via power bills

City council passes resolution, demands Sindh govt bailout to pay pensions

KARACHI:

The resolution to collect Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) through electricity bills sailed through the city hall paving way for boosting the revenues of the city’s local government.

The general meeting of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) City council was held on Monday in the council hall with Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab in the chair. Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad also participated in the meeting during which a number of resolutions were passed.

At the beginning of the meeting, prayers were offered for Pakistan Muslim League (N) leader Manwar Raza and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf city council member Parveen Murad Baloch.

According to a resolution passed unanimously in the meeting, the caretaker provincial government was urged to pay pensions and other dues of retired employees of KMC and defunct District Municipal Corporation Central, West, East, South, Korangi, Keamari, Malir and District Council Karachi.

A special bailout package was also demanded to clear dues of retired employees and officers including pension, gratuity and other related dues so that immediate relief could be provided to thousands of retired government employees and their families who are waiting for payment of their dues on the basis of humanitarian and sympathy. Through a resolution the council approved the collection of Municipal Tax through K-Electric bills. The resolution was approved by majority votes.

The city council also gave approval to a resolution by majority votes in which the caretaker provincial government was demanded to provide funds of Rs30 million immediately for carrying out development works.

During the meeting, various members including Najmi Alam, parliamentary leader of Pakistan People’s Party, Saifuddin Advocate, parliamentary leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, Mufti Khalid, parliamentary leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf expressed their views and came up with their suggestions.

Read KMC approves 13 resolutions amid turmoil

Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that the members of the city council should play their role in improving the tax and revenue collection system in KMC so that the collected money could be invested in city’s development. “We need to work together, every meeting of the city council will focus on main problems of the city and try to solve it, Wahab said.

When it comes to the interest of the city, everyone will support because everyone wants relief for the citizens of Karachi, all the affairs of the city council will be run according to the law.

JI plans no-confidence motion

JI Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced a no-confidence motion against Mayor Wahab.

Talking to the media after the KMC City Council session,  and asserted that the motion of no-confidence aims to send the mayor home and initiate necessary measures for the betterment of the city. The leader emphasized collaboration during today’s meeting to ensure effective measures are taken for the resolution of Karachi’s problems.

Jamaat-e-Islami will use available democratic and constitutional means to resist PPP’s persistence to run the House in undemocratic ways and, “despite not having a majority, PPP tries to impose its will by accepting government resolutions and rejecting opposition resolutions.” There may even be a vote of no-confidence against the mayor, he told the media persons.

He strongly opposed the collection of MUCT via electric bills, calling it injustice towards Karachi. He pledged that the residents of Karachi would not tolerate it.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12^th, 2023.