Murtaza Wahab calls for end to ‘dalla culture’

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has called for an end to the culture of private security guards and official convoys, saying people should not be subjected to inconvenience in the name of political activities.

Speaking to the media after visiting Mazar-e-Quaid, Wahab said, “Everyone is moving around with their own guards,” adding that the city needed to move away from what he described as the “dalla culture.”

He said it was inappropriate to block roads used by millions of people to raise public issues.

“Fighting for people’s rights while putting people through hardship is not the right approach,” Wahab said. He added that prolonged traffic congestion also leads to increased fuel consumption.

The mayor said he did not support political activities that caused inconvenience to citizens. However, he maintained that people had the right to protest and suggested that alternative locations be provided for demonstrations so that major roads could remain open.

Wahab said the city administration was visible on the roads carrying out development work. While there could be disagreements over the way projects were being implemented, he said the administration was working according to specific targets.

He said the long-standing problems on University Road were now showing signs of improvement.

Addressing Karachi’s water distribution issues, Wahab called for an end to political disputes over the matter. He urged members of the City Council to provide guidance on how water should be distributed across the city.

He said several areas faced water shortages because pumping stations were not operating properly and power outages disrupted the supply system.

Wahab also criticised the public display of weapons by private security guards, saying such practices were unacceptable. He said the government and police were taking steps to regulate private security companies and urged citizens to support the law.

Referring to official visits, the mayor said that when the chief minister recently visited, there was no “dalla” or convoy culture.

He also called for action against the wastage of water, saying leaking water not only resulted in the loss of a valuable resource but also damaged roads.