PTI, Jamaat-e-Islami Discuss No-Confidence Motion Against Karachi Mayor

KARACHI: A fresh effort to remove Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab is reportedly being considered, with PTI city councillors meeting Jamaat-e-Islami’s local leadership to discuss the possibility of bringing a no-confidence motion against the mayor, according to sources.

The meeting between PTI councillors and Jamaat-e-Islami leaders was held at the Idara Noor-e-Haq, sources said.

According to the sources, the two sides discussed the possibility of moving a no-confidence motion against Murtaza Wahab and agreed to consult other political groups in the Karachi City Council to build support for the move.

Sources said PTI had also sought Jamaat-e-Islami’s cooperation for a no-confidence motion against Murtaza Wahab in September 2025.

At that time, Jamaat-e-Islami reportedly declined to take charge of the mayor’s office even temporarily, leading to the proposal being shelved.

The political situation has now changed amid renewed debate over the creation of new administrative units and provinces, according to sources.

Sources further claimed that influential quarters were interested in changes not only in Karachi but also in the leadership of other major Sindh cities, including Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas.

The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s City Council has a total of 367 seats.

A simple majority of 184 votes among the members present is required for a no-confidence motion to succeed.

Jamaat-e-Islami currently has 128 councillors in the City Council, while PTI has 61 seats.

However, a significant number of PTI councillors were absent when Murtaza Wahab was elected mayor. According to the figures cited by sources, 31 PTI councillors were absent during the election.

Another PTI member, Firdous Shamim Naqvi, was present but did not cast his vote.

The remaining 29 PTI councillors voted for Jamaat-e-Islami’s candidate, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman.

Sources said that if the previously absent PTI councillors agree to support a no-confidence motion, the opposition could potentially reach 189 votes, exceeding the 184-vote threshold.

Such a development could make it extremely difficult for the Pakistan Peoples Party to retain its majority in the council and protect Murtaza Wahab’s position.

Sources said members belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan had also supported a no-confidence motion in September 2025.

The reported figures included 14 PML-N councillors, four JUI members and two TLP councillors.

Under the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, there is reportedly no specific minimum number of councillors required to initiate a no-confidence resolution.

The absence of a fixed threshold for presenting such a resolution could make it easier for opposition groups to formally bring the matter before the City Council if they succeed in building sufficient political support.

The latest consultations indicate that efforts to challenge the Karachi mayor could gain momentum, although the final outcome will depend on negotiations among political groups and the actual voting strength available when a motion is formally presented.