Karachi Division

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has sought approval from the City Council to introduce a new “Entertainment Tax” aimed at generating additional municipal revenue from the hospitality and events sector.
Under the proposed plan, the tax would be levied at a rate of 1% on the total bill of hotels, restaurants, guest houses, lodges, marriage halls, marquees, wedding lawns, Airbnb properties, and banquet facilities. Officials estimate that the measure could generate approximately Rs 1 billion annually.
According to a public notice issued by KMC Municipal Commissioner Abrar Jaffar, the proposal will be presented in the upcoming financial year’s budget. The notice also invites public feedback, while a hearing has been scheduled for June 10 at the KMC headquarters to review objections and suggestions.
KMC’s tourism and municipal administration departments stated that the proposed tax is intended to strengthen the corporation’s financial position and improve public service delivery. The plan introduces a new category titled “Entertainment Tax – City Tourism and Hospitality” along with supporting bylaws under the existing tax framework.
Officials said that under the Sindh Local Government Act 2013, KMC is empowered to impose taxes, fees, and charges within its jurisdiction. If approved, the entertainment tax will become part of KMC’s broader revenue generation strategy.
This proposal marks the second major revenue initiative by KMC in recent years. In July 2024, the corporation introduced the Municipal Utility Charges Tax (MUCT), which is collected through K-Electric bills and currently generates around Rs 4 billion annually.

Karachi: [ReNews Pakistan]
Karachi’s Azeempura Flyover project has been completed at a cost of Rs 1.47 billion and is expected to be opened for traffic next week, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has announced.
The mayor made the announcement during a late-night visit to the project site, where he reviewed the final stages of work. He said the main structure of the flyover had been completed, while only minor finishing work remained. According to him, the remaining work will be completed within a week, after which the flyover will be made operational for motorists.
Barrister Murtaza Wahab said the project had successfully met the 100-day completion target set by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. He described the timely completion of the flyover as an important step in improving Karachi’s urban infrastructure and addressing the city’s growing traffic problems.
The Azeempura Flyover is expected to play a key role in improving traffic flow between Shahrah-e-Bhutto and Jinnah International Airport. Once opened, the project will provide better connectivity for commuters and help reduce congestion on surrounding roads, particularly in areas that experience heavy traffic pressure during peak hours.
The mayor said the project reflects the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s efforts to modernize the city’s road network and provide relief to citizens facing daily traffic delays. He added that infrastructure development remains a priority for the city administration, especially in areas where road bottlenecks affect travel time and public mobility.
Officials believe that the opening of the Azeempura Flyover will not only improve access to the airport but also support smoother movement across nearby commercial and residential areas. The project is being seen as part of a broader push to upgrade Karachi’s transport infrastructure and make key city routes more efficient for daily commuters.

Karachi | ReNews Pakistan
The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication has launched a fresh review of the Rs 31 billion Karachi IT Park project, one of Pakistan’s largest planned technology infrastructure initiatives, after repeated procurement delays and implementation challenges slowed its progress.
The review will be carried out through the Pakistan Software Export Board, which has issued an Expression of Interest to hire a consultancy firm for a third party assessment of the project’s technical, engineering and contractual documents. The exercise is aimed at reassessing the project before the government moves toward the next stage of implementation and relaunches the bidding process.
According to the Expression of Interest, consultancy firms with relevant experience in construction contracts, project execution and technical document review have been invited to participate. The selected firm will examine the project’s feasibility studies, detailed engineering designs, Bills of Quantities, technical specifications, cost estimates and other related documents.
Officials believe the independent review has become necessary because the project has faced several obstacles, including failed tendering attempts and concerns over earlier timelines. The construction schedule for the Karachi IT Park was reportedly aligned with that of the Islamabad IT Park, despite the Karachi project being significantly larger in scope and scale.
The ministry is also expected to use lessons learned from delays in the Islamabad IT Park project to make the Karachi project more practical for contractors and more attractive for future bidders. After completion of the review, the government is likely to revise key project conditions and restart the procurement process.
Official figures show that the Karachi IT Park has so far achieved around 10 percent physical progress, while financial progress stands at nearly 5 percent. Although the project was originally planned for completion over a six year period, implementation has already been delayed by almost three years.
To keep the project moving, the Ministry of IT has sought Rs 11.5 billion under the Public Sector Development Programme for fiscal year 2026-27. The funding is expected to support the next phase of work once the review and procurement process are completed.
The project has also faced location related complications due to its proximity to Jinnah International Airport. Objections from the Civil Aviation Authority led to revisions in the building’s height and design, while the original land allotment was also cancelled.
Despite these challenges, preliminary work on the site has been completed. Officials said boundary wall construction and geotechnical testing have already been carried out, while detailed designs have been prepared by international consultants.
Once completed, the Karachi IT Park is expected to house more than 200 technology companies. The facility is planned to include modern office space, research facilities, a data center and other support infrastructure aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s digital economy, promoting innovation and expanding the country’s technology exports.