KARACHI: Amid a sharp increase in dog-bite incidents across Karachi, Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday indicated that the city administration may consider culling stray dogs if public demand for immediate relief continues to grow, stressing that policy decisions must reflect the will of the majority.
Speaking to media persons during a visit to Ittehad Town, the mayor said opinions on how to deal with stray dogs differed significantly across neighbourhoods, but cautioned against allowing a small segment of society to dictate policy for a city with a population exceeding 25 million.
He said residents in areas like Ittehad Colony frequently demanded the killing of stray dogs due to repeated attacks, while opposition to culling often came from limited groups in affluent localities. “A handful of individuals cannot be given supremacy over everyone else. The will of all the people must be considered,” he said.
Referring to the rising number of dog-bite cases reported in recent days, Mr Wahab said the situation was nearing a critical point. He acknowledged that neutering remained an accepted method for population control but noted that it required time to produce tangible results. “If neutering is adopted, its impact will not be immediate. Then authorities should not be criticised when attacks continue during that period,” he said.
He added that if citizens wanted quick and visible results, culling would have to be considered as an option. “We are prepared for both approaches. Hundreds of people have been bitten in a short span of time,” the mayor said, urging critics to listen to victims and their families before opposing decisive action.
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The mayor also referred to legal challenges faced by the authorities, saying that court petitions frequently stalled action against stray dogs. Citing an example from India, he claimed that the Indian Supreme Court had allowed culling in place of neutering to address similar concerns.
Earlier in the day, Mr Wahab laid the foundation stones for two major infrastructure projects in District West and District Keamari as part of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s development initiatives.
The mayor warned against allowing a small group to dictate policy for a city of over 25 million people.https://t.co/MmvHnTT4RU
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) January 8, 2026
In District West, he inaugurated a large-scale project for the rehabilitation of Hub River Road to Tori Bangash Road in Ittehad Town at an estimated cost of Rs8 billion. The project includes converting Hub River Road into a 12,500-foot-long dual carriageway, aimed at easing traffic congestion, along with an 8,000-foot modern drainage system and over 21,000 feet of RCC drainage pipelines to address flooding issues.
Separately, the mayor also launched the reconstruction of Sparco Road in District Keamari at a cost of approximately Rs56 million. The project includes paver block installation, an asphalt wearing course, and a modern sewerage system, which officials said would improve road conditions and civic facilities in the area.
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