KARACHI: A promising announcement made by Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon regarding the abolition of charged parking in the metropolis turned out to be short-lived for Karachiites as Mayor Murtaza Wahab on Sunday said that the citizens would continue to pay for parking of their vehicles until June.

Last month, Mr Memon had announced that the charged parking had been abolished in the metropolis following a decision taken by the provincial cabinet.

However, Mayor Wahab told the media on Sunday that abruptly ending the charged parking was legally not possible.

“We had announced the abolition of charged parking because it doesn’t generate significant revenue, but the step requires legal procedures,” he said while talking to reporters after inaugurating a football ground in Gizri.

He said: “The entities that were granted charged parking contracts have agreements in place until June. After that, we will take the parking matter to the (city) council. But still we will make them (contractors) follow the set rules and don’t allow double parking to avoid traffic congestion.”

It may be noted that the mayor had earlier said that charged parking at sites and roads controlled by the KMC would be abolished in order to provide some relief to Karachiites. However, he had said the charged parking would continue in areas within the jurisdiction of 25 towns and six cantonment boards in the city.

Earlier, Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani and Mayor Wahab inaugurated the Akbari ground in the Gizri area. The ceremony was also attended by Special Assistants to Sindh Chief Minister Najmi Alam, Waqar Mehdi, area MNA Mirza Ikhtiar Baig and others

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ghani reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to providing modern civic and recreational facilities for Karachi’s residents.

The playground’s renovation was completed under the World Bank-assisted Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (Click) project in just seven months at a cost of Rs221 million.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2025