Ali Khurshidi slams SSWMB’s performance

Khurshidi noted that despite being established over ten years ago with the mandate to modernize waste management, the board has yet to demonstrate any tangible progress

By Ahsan Mughal

KARACHI: Sindh’s Opposition Leader, Mutahhida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan MPA Ali Khurshidi, has issued a stark rebuke of the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), questioning its effectiveness in addressing the province’s escalating sanitation issues. Speaking publicly, Khurshidi expressed grave concerns over the widespread waste piling up in Karachi and other parts of Sindh, attributing this environmental and public health crisis to SSWMB’s alleged inefficiencies and neglect.

Khurshidi noted that despite being established over ten years ago with the mandate to modernize waste management, the board has yet to demonstrate any tangible progress. According to him, the provincial government has not enforced critical provisions of the Solid Waste Act, which he argues could have significantly improved waste handling and disposal if properly implemented. His critique suggests that the SSWMB has failed to address even the basic standards of sanitation expected by the public.

Further intensifying his critique, Khurshidi accused the Sindh government of corruption, claiming that management within the SSWMB is more concerned with exploiting the waste sector for financial gain than with improving services. He alleged that the contracts for waste management labor are often awarded to individuals with political ties to the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), marginalizing competent candidates and undermining the system’s functionality.

This pattern of favoritism, according to Khurshidi, has worsened service delivery and further eroded public trust. His statements reflect growing dissatisfaction among Karachi’s residents, who routinely contend with inadequate waste disposal, which poses significant health and environmental risks. Khurshidi’s pointed critique adds pressure on the Sindh government to reassess and reform its approach to waste management, calling for greater accountability, transparency, and effective implementation of policies designed to secure essential civic services across the province. With Karachi’s residents increasingly vocal about the impacts of inadequate waste disposal on their daily lives, Khurshidi’s criticism underscores the urgency for effective leadership and action to tackle these persistent sanitation challenges.