The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has increased the Municipal Utility Charges and Taxes (MUCT) for industrial and commercial users from Rs. 400 to Rs. 750 per month, a move that has triggered strong criticism from the opposition and business community.
Opposition leader Advocate Saifuddin of Jamaat-i-Islami has sent a legal notice to K-Electric CEO Moonis Alvi, terming the hike “unlawful” and demanding its withdrawal.
He argued that the City Council last fixed the rate at Rs. 400 in June 2024, while a later proposal to raise it to Rs. 550 was deferred in 2025. “K-Electric, being only a collection agent for KMC, cannot change or enhance the charges,” he said, adding the increase undermined the City Council’s authority.
Business groups also complained that their bills had nearly doubled due to the hike.
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Mayor Murtaza Wahab, however, rejected the criticism, insisting the revised rate had already been approved in the City Council’s budget session. “The opposition’s claims of illegality simply don’t stand,” he said.
