Sworn in as city mayor, imprisoned Waseem Akhtar promises development for all

Urges all parties and stakeholders concerned to put aside differences

and work together for a better Karachi

Karachi

Vowing to serve all regardless of political differences, the imprisoned Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader and now officially Karachi's mayor, Waseem Akhtar, and his deputy, Dr Arshad Vohra, took oath of office at a ceremony held at Bagh-e-Quaid-e-Azam on Tuesday afternoon. 

Responding to rival party workers’ sloganeering, Akhtar started off his speech with wishes of a long and healthy life for all parties’ leaders, including MQM’s founder, Altaf Hussain, whose controversial speech left the party in murky waters, and thanked the six-party alliance – PPP, JI, PTI, PML-N and others – for having participated in the elections whole-heartedly. 

Putting his weight behind Dr Farooq Sattar, Akhtar said he belonged to MQM Pakistan and would do all he could to strengthen Dr Sattar and other fellow party workers.

Besides Farooq Sattar, senior party leaders Nasreen Jalil, leader opposition in Sindh Assembly Khwaja Izharul Hasan and Amir Khan also attended the ceremony.

The 23rd mayor to have been elected in the city, Akhtar while referring to leaders of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Ali Zardari, said we would all have to shun political difference in order for the city to progress.

Waseem during his speech observed that among all country’s provinces, it was Sindh that had suffered the greatest of loss despite its biggest city generating enough revenue to run the entire country.

Further welcoming other parties’ local government electives, the city mayor said he it was these individuals who gave me confidence, adding, that he would work in tandem with the electives to solve the metropolis’ problems collectively.

Now that almost all local government powers lay with the provincial party, Akhtar while referring to Sindh Chief Syed Murad Ali Shah observed that he had the right kind of energy and that he (Akhtar) would help him in ridding the city of all problems.

The city mayor further expressed hopes of the CM providing the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) proper resources.

“There are a lot of issues in the city but with full determination and motivation, we will resolve all of them,” the mayor reiterated amidst applause.

Commenting over the nine-month gap from the local bodies elections to the oath taking ceremony, Akhtar said there were several hurdles. “We are taking oath today, after nine months, while it took the London's new mayor four hours to assume office."

Responding to questions over how would he be fulfilling his duties from the prison, the new mayor stated that a modus operandi was yet to be drawn up for that.  However, the word was that he would stay in contact with concerned official through video link.

He, however, strongly observed that all cases against him and that he would soon be out on bail.

The oath was administered by metropolitan commissioner Samiuddin Siddiqui, former KMC administrator Laiq Ahmed read the Election Commission of Pakistan’s notification. The mayor and deputy mayor were then handed over the symbolic key.

The oath taking ceremony for chairmen and vice chairmen was held in five districts of the city, since the sixth district’s (West’s) results had been withheld for the chairman’s election being challenged in court. Accompanied by Vohra, Akhtar met with his family and friends after the ceremony and then headed towards the Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum to lay a floral wreath.