Hill Park land row triggers verbal slugfest

MQM-P levels fresh encroachment allegations; Mayor Wahab rejects claims of land allotment

KARACHI:

A fresh political confrontation erupted over the future of Karachi's public spaces on Sunday as Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) accused authorities of facilitating illegal land allotments and environmental destruction at Hill Park, while Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab strongly denied the allegations, insisting that no land belonging to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) had been transferred to any party.

Addressing an emergency press conference at Hill Park alongside senior MQM-P leaders Syed Aminul Haque, former Karachi mayor Waseem Akhtar, Sindh Opposition Leader Ali Khurshidi and other party officials, MQM-P senior leader and MNA Dr Farooq Sattar alleged that Karachi's public lands were being systematically handed over to land grabbers under the patronage of the provincial government.

Dr Sattar claimed that a section of Hill Park had recently been altered through unauthorised excavation and plotting, alleging that the development did not exist in the PECHS master plan. He accused officials of KMC and PECHS of issuing illegal no-objection certificates (NOCs) and demanded an investigation by accountability authorities as well as suo motu action by the Sindh High Court.

"If the hill is sold today, the entire park could be sold tomorrow," he warned, calling for action against officials allegedly involved in the matter.

The MQM-P leader also criticised what he described as the re-emergence of encroachments on public lands across the city, including areas around Nehr-e-Khayyam, Beach View and Benazir Bhutto Park. He maintained that his party had previously fought legal battles to remove illegal structures from public spaces, including Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, Kidney Hill Park and Empress Market.

Former mayor Waseem Akhtar urged state institutions to intervene, alleging that Karachi's public assets were once again under threat from powerful interests. He warned that continued inaction could result in the loss of valuable public land.

During the press conference, Dr Sattar also praised former Sindh governor Kamran Tessori for welfare and educational initiatives, particularly free IT training programmes for thousands of students. He further criticised the Sindh government's handling of local government affairs and reiterated MQM-P's longstanding demand for the implementation of Article 140-A of the Constitution to ensure greater autonomy for local bodies.

Responding to the allegations, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab categorically rejected claims that KMC had allotted any portion of Hill Park land.

"Hill Park was, is, and will remain KMC property," Wahab said, adding that KMC had neither allotted nor intended to allot "even an inch" of land within the park.

The mayor stated that he had personally ordered work in the Hill Park area to be stopped after reports of activity surfaced during the Eid holidays. According to Wahab, KMC officials visited the site on the fourth day of Eid and halted the work immediately.

He clarified that while Hill Park falls under KMC's jurisdiction, ownership and regulatory matters concerning surrounding lands and housing societies, including PECHS, are separate issues. Wahab also noted that PECHS is regulated under federal authorities.

Defending his administration's record, Wahab said KMC was focused on preserving Karachi's heritage and public spaces. He cited ongoing plans to establish a historical museum at Beach View in collaboration with Citizens Archive Pakistan and the Sindh government, arguing that the project demonstrated the city's commitment to conservation rather than commercialisation.

The exchange marks the latest chapter in an intensifying political dispute over land management, urban development and the protection of Karachi's shrinking public spaces, with both sides trading accusations over responsibility for the city's planning and governance challenges.