Businessmen Group (BMG) Chairman Zubair Motiwala has called for an urgent, coordinated drive to rescue Karachi from its deepening civic and economic crisis, questioning how Pakistan’s economic powerhouse, contributing 67% of federal revenue and 54% of national exports, continues to suffer from crumbling roads, acute water shortages, unreliable utilities, deteriorating sewerage and rampant street crime.
Addressing a meeting of patron-in-chiefs, presidents, secretary-generals and representatives of Karachi-based trade bodies and industrial town associations, Motiwala demanded time-bound action, institutional accountability and measurable results, stressing that Karachi needed delivery, not promises.
Highlighting the economic cost of civic mismanagement, Motiwala warned that unreliable electricity and gas, inadequate infrastructure and low industrial capacity utilisation were driving up production costs and undermining competitiveness. He called for the early completion of K-IV, a fully operational Safe City system, a Karachi Bypass to potentially divert 70% of heavy traffic away from the city, mandatory road-restoration guarantees, independent engineering audits and a business-friendly tax regime. He also demanded transparent electricity billing, automatic consumer compensation for service failures, regionally competitive gas prices, digital land records and faster tax refunds.
Motiwala proposed identifying five immediate priorities, assigning responsibility to relevant institutions and establishing firm deadlines and measurable performance indicators. He also called for a unified platform of Karachi’s trade and industrial associations, backed by active participation from their members, to press the authorities for corrective action. Emphasising that the objective was a liveable, secure and economically competitive Karachi, not political or administrative controversy, he urged all stakeholders to replace fragmented efforts and repeated assurances with a coordinated, results-driven strategy.
BMG Vice Chairman Anjum Nisar urged Karachi’s trade and industrial bodies to move beyond highlighting problems and develop a unified, actionable agenda to address the city’s worsening civic and economic challenges. To highlight the awful state of Karachi, he called for a common documentary exposing the city’s ground realities, including corruption, extortion, excessive taxation and deteriorating infrastructure.
He advocated permanent solutions to water shortages, completion of the long-delayed K-IV project, and a practical fiscal model empowering local governments with adequate resources. He also proposed joint pre-budget consultations by KCCI and trade associations to formulate common recommendations. He emphasised stronger collective representation before federal and provincial authorities, consistent follow-up and, if negotiations failed, coordinated protest to secure Karachi’s legitimate rights, stressing that the city’s issues must be pursued as a common cause rather than individual organisational demands.
Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani urged Karachi’s business community to unite behind three to four decisive priorities, warning that the city’s longstanding problems would persist without sustained collective pressure and accountability. He demanded urgent implementation of the Safe City project, stronger action against street crime and land grabbing, protection of public land, and transparent documentation and allocation of Karachi’s revenues to meet its civic and infrastructure needs.
