After ‘Utha Lo’ controversy in Karachi, Mohsin Naqvi admits ‘Rs1 million bribe rate’ in CDA, sparks outrage over alleged corruption

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s admission of a Rs1 million bribe rate in CDA has triggered outrage, raising serious questions about governance, accountability, and alleged corruption during his tenure.

MEDIABITES – Webdesk – Courtesy Rauf Klasra

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has come under intense scrutiny after admitting that even he would need to pay Rs1 million in bribes to get work done within the Capital Development Authority (CDA) — an institution he has overseen for nearly two years.

The statement has sparked widespread criticism, with analysts calling it a “shocking confession” that exposes the depth of alleged corruption within one of the country’s most powerful civic bodies.

Admission raises serious questions

Naqvi’s remarks have raised a fundamental question:
If the minister himself acknowledges such a system, who is responsible for fixing it?

Critics argue that CDA, often described as a “goldmine institution,” remained under Naqvi’s direct influence, with key appointments and decisions allegedly centralized during his tenure.

Spotlight on CDA leadership

Attention has also turned to senior bureaucrat Mohammad Ali Randhawa, who was brought in and later appointed CDA chairman. Observers claim the authority operated with minimal oversight, with decision-making concentrated at the top.

During this period, CDA reportedly generated over Rs40 billion through plot sales in just six months, while large-scale infrastructure projects and urban changes drew criticism over quality, environmental damage, and transparency.

Governance vs accountability

Urban experts and political observers question how such a high “rate of corruption” could exist under direct administrative control without triggering accountability mechanisms.

The controversy has also revived broader concerns about governance in Pakistan, particularly regarding:

• Concentration of power in bureaucratic hands
• Lack of institutional checks and balances
• Transparency in public funds and mega projects

Calls for accountability

Critics are now demanding:

• A full audit of CDA’s financial dealings over the past two years
• Transparency regarding contracts and beneficiaries
• Clarification on appointments and administrative decisions

The debate has also reignited concerns about bureaucratic wealth accumulation and overseas assets, with some linking such revelations to wider systemic issues.

Public reaction intensifies

Adding to the criticism, journalist Syed Faisal Hussain wrote in a strongly worded reaction that the state cannot rely on threats instead of action.

He questioned claims that billions of dollars had left Karachi over the years, asking how such funds were allowed to move abroad in the first place. He argued that, rather than issuing statements, authorities should identify those responsible and recover a significant portion of the money.

He further claimed that the public is well aware of who accumulated wealth and transferred it overseas, particularly over the past two decades, and expressed skepticism that meaningful action would be taken.

A defining moment

Naqvi’s statement, intended as a candid remark, may have turned into a defining political moment — one that not only questions his own tenure but also highlights deeper structural flaws within Pakistan’s governance system.

As pressure mounts, many are asking whether this admission will lead to meaningful accountability — or fade into yet another unresolved controversy.

‘Utha Lo’ Rhetoric Sparks Outrage as Questions Mount Over Missing Billions

From the wall of Syed Faisal Hussain:

Mohsin Naqvi, you are not Trump, and Karachi is not Iran, so stop issuing threats. A state does not govern through intimidation.

If $100 billion has left Karachi in just three years, the first question is, how did it leave? And if it did, then act, pick up those responsible, and recover at least 20% or 30% of that money. What kind of governance is this?

Every child in Sindh knows who looted wealth over the past 18 years, turned it into black money, and sent it abroad. The Iran crisis has already exposed who was lobbying for Dubai and why.

And let’s be honest, everyone also knows nothing will happen. This will likely remain just another statement, or perhaps an attempt to scare a few people.

Because those who have ruled for nearly two decades cannot suddenly pretend to be reformers today.