Newly appointed Karachi Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Friday expressed his commitment to end “politics of discrimination” during his tenure, adding that he was still preparing a plan to address the needs of the city.
Wahab, who is also a spokesman for the Sindh government, expressed these views while speaking to the media. He was appointed the city administrator a day ago.
During the media talk, Wahab emphasised the need to set aside differences and work together for the betterment of the city.”I am trying not to think about the past.
I am thinking about the future … [and] will try to work [as the city administrator] without any discrimination,” he said
“The Sindh government will lead the agenda [on this] and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and other local government bodies will implement it,” he said.
The administrator said he was willing to work with anyone for Karachi’s betterment, even the representatives of the federal government.
When asked about his plan for developing the city and resolving its issues, he said he would not be sharing his agenda as yet as he was still doing his “homework”.
“I am not someone who makes statements without doing my homework. Let me assess the situation first. I will then prepare a game plan and share it.
“He said that the city’s issues had remained unresolved over the past years as “there was no direction”. “We are trying to define that direction first.”
Wahab also said that no institution could function without resources and highlighted the need for the KMC to focus on tax collection in order to become financially independent.
“I have told KMC officials that there will be no sustainable solution [to the city’s problems] until the institution is made financially independent.
“Wahab recalled that the KMC had served the city in the past and played its role in the metropolis’ development. “We will work with the same people,” he said.
Responding to a question about the city’s cleanliness problem, the administrator said that it was primarily the responsibility of local government institutions, particularly district municipal corporations (DMCs).
“However, of the six districts in Karachi, the task is carried out by the waste management board in four districts and by the DMCs in the remaining two — Korangi and Central district,” he said, adding that the situation is much better in districts where the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB) was responsible for cleanliness.
