Khaleej Times

Karachi mayor back in prison

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karachi — Waseem Akhtar, a jailed leader of the Mutthaida-eQaumi Movement in Pakistan, on Tuesday took oath as Karachi’s mayor but was taken back to prison after the event.

The oath-taking ceremony, which was attended by foreign diplomats, businessme­n and political leaders, was delayed for nearly 2-1/2 hours as the Sindh High Court heard and dismissed two petitions challengin­g the right of Akhtar to take oath. — PTI

karachi — Jailed Karachi Mayor and Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader (MQM) Waseem Akhtar and deputy mayor Arshad Vohra, also of the MQM, took oath here on Tuesday, reports Dawn online.

Akhtar opened his speech with a slogan of ‘Long live Muttahida, long live Bhutto and long live Imran Khan.’

“We have to set aside our difference­s,” Akhtar said, addressing PPP’s Bilawal Bhutto and Asif Zardari.

“After eight years, Karachi has a mayor, a deputy mayor, a chairman and a vice chairman. We will have to work together for the betterment of this city and this province.”

“We know Karachi is plagued by a number of issues. These problems are our problems,” Akhtar said, requesting all those elected to set aside their difference­s for the progress of the metropolis.

He called on diplomats and businessme­n to aid him in this endeavour. “I need your help to fix these issues [faced by Karachi],” he said.

“But unfortunat­ely, I am in jail. These are all false charges. After taking oath, I have decided to move a bail applicatio­n in court. And I am sure I will get justice. As soon as I am released from jail, I will meet you in your offices and take guidance [from you], and meet people from different walks of life. And of course, with all the political parties that have contested the election for this city,” he said.

“There were many hurdles. We are taking oath today, after nine months [whereas] London’s new mayor assumed office in just four hours.”

“On the lighter side,” he quipped, “It is almost as if this was a cesarean child. It was not a normal delivery. Let’s hope for the best.” After stepping away from the mic, Akhtar once again took to the podium to express support for the MQM and Farooq Sattar. “We will work together for Karachi and Sindh,” he said.

His statement comes just days after Sattar announced the MQM was dissociati­ng itself from party chief Altaf Hussain and the London office following Altaf’s antiPakist­an speech which sparked violent protests in Karachi.

“Long live Karachi, long live Sindh, long live Pakistan,” he said.

Karachi’s new mayor also thanked the citizens of Karachi, his own party members, and members of the PPP, PML-N, the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf and the Jamaati-Islami, who participat­ed in the election.

Karachi Metropolit­an Corporatio­n (KMC) Commission­er Samiuddin Siddiqui administer­ed oath to the mayor and deputy mayor.

Akhtar is among four mayors and 200 chairmen of as many municipal bodies across Sindh who took oath of their offices.

That Akhtar would be able to take his oath remained uncertain even in the hours before the ceremony as his attendance depended on a production order allowing him to do so. — Agencies

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