Dr Saif-ur-Rehman appointed Karachi administrator

KARACHI: The Sindh government Thursday appointed the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's (MQM-P) nominated candidate Dr Saif-ur-Rehman as the new Karachi administrator.

The provincial authorities picked Rehman as the replacement for the Karachi administrator’s post previously being served by the government’s spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab.'

“In exercise of powers, vested U/s 21(3) of Sindh Local Government Act, 2013 and pursuant to a decision of Provincial Cabinet, Government of Sindh […] with the approval of the Competent Authority [...] Dr Syed Saif-urRehman is appointed as Administrator, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, with immediate effect and till further orders," the notification read.

It further mentioned that the decision was taken upon acceptance of the resignation of Barrister Murtaza Wahab, as Administrator, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

Rehman is an officer of PAS (BS-20), currently at the disposal of the Local Government and Housing Town Planning Department.

The development comes days after Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said an MQM-P nominee would be appointed to the KMC office in a day or two.

"We had already discussed with MQM-P that whomever they name would become the next administrator," the minister told journalists during a press conference.

MQM-P had also recommended party leader Abdul Waseem in case a political administrator is to be appointed as the new KMC chief while Dr Rehman's name was shortlisted if a government officer is picked for the slot.

The Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led Sindh government has accepted the MQM-P nominee as part of the agreement they had reached in March, where the latter supported the multi-party alliance of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to oust Imran Khan's government.

The PPP had then agreed to give more space to the MQM-P in Karachi's administrative setup, but despite the passage of months, the port city-based party has claimed that they have not made any major headways.