How does Karachi's new Administrator Murtaza Wahab plan on resolving city's issues?

Karachi's new Administrator Murtaza Wahab is confident that he will be able to solve the city's longstanding issues and provide much-needed relief to the people.

The PPP leader appeared on Geo News programme Aaj Shahzaib Khanzada Kay Saath where he spoke in detail about his priorities and what makes him a different administrator for the city, from his predecessors.

Wahab said that relations between the Sindh government and the local bodies have remained extremely tense due to which many of Karachi's issues remained unsolved.

"Even a little bit of change will make it clear to the masses as to what a Karachi administrator can or cannot do with the same set of laws and powers," he explained.

Wahab said that Karachiites will see the communication gap between the provincial government and the local government bridged, since he represents both.

He challenged the assertion, supported many times by the PTI and the MQM, that the local bodies in Karachi are not empowered.

"If local government is not an empowered one [as critics say] then under which government does the District Municipal Corporations come?" he asked.

The Karachi administrator said that the Sindh government had always empowered the DMCs in the city. However, he said the DMCs did not listen to the Karachi mayor and neither did the mayor listen to the DMC.

"Whenever you take charge of any office, there are teething issues that come with it," he said. "DMCs had powers but they outsourced their projects to the Solid Waste Management Board," he added. 

'Sindh govt neglected Karachi transport'

Wahab admitted that proper attention was not paid by the provincial government to the city's public transport system, adding that the Sindh government was working towards improving it tremendously.

"By December of this year or the first quarter of 2022, 200 new buses will be provided to Karachi by the Sindh government," he said. "Besides that, the groundbreaking of the Asian Development Bank-funded Red Line buses will be conducted within two months as well," he added.

"We have made mistakes in the transport sector but let me assure you that there is a plan in place and we will deliver," he promised.

Governor backs Wahab

In response to a question, the Karachi administrator said he met Governor Sindh Imran Ismail yesterday during the oath-taking ceremony of the new Sindh ministers where they discussed his appointment as Karachi's administrator.

Wahab said though Ismail had opposed his appointment, but wished him the best of luck and offered his cooperation in the days to come. 

Murtaza Wahab appointed Karachi administrator

Wahab was appointed as the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation's (KMC) administrator by the Local Government (LG) Department on Thursday. 

The LG Department had issued an official notification to announce the appointment.

Referring to the relevant Sections of the Sindh Local Government Act and the decision of the Sindh Cabinet, the notification stated that Wahab had taken charge as the new KMC administrator, replacing Laeeq Ahmed, with immediate effect.

Following the appointment, Wahab had thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PPP President Asif Ali Zardari and CM Shah for appointing him as the administrator, in a recent post on his official Twitter account.

"I am grateful to Chairman Bilawal, President Zardari, Adi Faryal & CM Sindh for giving me the opportunity to serve my city. It is an honour for me & my entire family & Insha’Allah I will do my best to serve Karachi," he had said.