Bidding farewell: ‘Mayor should have powers regardless of party affiliation’

Ali Zaidi holds last press conference as PTI’s Karachi chief

KARACHI: All the basic powers must be given to the mayor no matter which party he belongs to, said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) Ali Zaidi on Thursday, as he bid adieu to his party workers on his last day as president of the party's Karachi chapter.

"In all democratic countries, powers are given to the mayors," he said. He added that, without the powers, the mayor can hardly work for the city. "Insaf House is now a political landmark and centre for all PTI activities in the city of lights, Karachi," said Zaidi while addressing a press conference alongside party leader Firdous Naqvi and MPA Khurram Sher Zaman at Insaf House.

Zaidi congratulated all the elected chairmen and vice-chairmen. "I hope they will turn their respective UCs into model areas, and will set example for others," he said. He added that since the party will hold its intra-party elections today (Friday), it is his last press conference as president.

He added that the city is facing severe crisis in term of solid waste management and broken sewerage lines but the local bodies' minister Jam Khan Shoro is busy playing blame-games. In addition to this, he also demanded investigation into Shoro's allegations against the MQM regarding intentional blocking of the sewerage lines by inserting sand bags.

"We will support the MQM [in its demand] for more powers for the mayor," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2016.