‘Administrator to be appointed with parties’ consultation’

After the completion of the current local bodies’ tenure, a Karachi administrator will be appointed in consultation of all political parties, claimed city mayor Wasim Akhtar.

Inaugurating a newly-constructed road in Nazimabad on Monday, a day after a meeting discussing the resolution of the city’s issues, he said a competent government officer would be appointed as the new city administrator.

He further said a committee comprising members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan would be formed to resolve the problems, adding that the Centre, Sindh government and city mayor were stakeholders for Karachi.

Akhtar claimed that the Sindh government was supposed to issue a notification to form the committee.

“The resolution of Karachi’s problems lies in an empowered local government system. The PTI has submitted its report on the empowerment of local bodies and we will submit our report soon,” he stated. He added that he had highlighted issues including water scarcity, lack of transport and inadequate garbage disposal during the earlier meeting with the Sindh chief minister, governor, Federal Minister Asad Umar and the National Disaster Management Authority chairperson in Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2020.