Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday announced that he would contest the 2018 general election from Karachi.
Khan, addressing a press conference in the city, lamented the poor state of affairs in Karachi, claiming that the city had been "abandoned" by political parties. The PTI chief said that the parties in power had failed to "own Karachi".
Last month, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry had hinted that Khan might contest the election from Karachi but a constituency had not yet been agreed on.
Khan said that the city was not just infested with garbage but also with corruption. "Karachi is seen as a cash cow by the people in power," he claimed, adding that infrastructure and institutions in Karachi had been "ruined".
"Mafias prevail in this city. The tanker mafia for example — citizens do not have access to water because of it... The Rangers have been posted in the city because [political parties have] ruined the police," he said.
The PTI chief promised his party would bring in a "directly elected mayor" who would solve Karachi's problems with his "team of experts".
He stressed the need to elect a mayor who has administrative powers and financial resources to deal with the challenges being faced by the city.
"Major cities like New York and London run smoothly because their mayors are strengthened," he said.
