- Banners put up against Waseem Akhtar at KMC saying ‘corrupt mayor unacceptable’
- Waseem Akhtar says no resolution being brought against him
KARACHI: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC)’s city council session on Tuesday, chaired by Mayor Waseem Akhtar, ended without any proceedings as the opposition interrupted the session with their sloganeering.
In response, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) members raised slogans in favour of the mayor, with the opposition members tearing the agenda copies of the session.
Banners were put up at the main gates of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), criticising Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar’s performance, moments before the city council’s session to demand Akhtar’s resignation started.
The banners in favour of Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra, and against Mayor Waseem Akhtar, put by unknown people read “corrupt mayor unacceptable” and “head of corrupt mafia Waseem Akhtar”.
Mayor Waseem Akhtar addressed the media after the session.
“There’s no such resolution as the rumours pointed out,” he said referring to the opposition to his post as mayor and added that today’s was a routine session. The mayor added that the banners and chanting of slogans were just to appear in the media.
He also said that the parliamentary process is to first let the agenda be completed, but that didn’t happen.
Earlier during the day, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), in a bid to move a no-confidence motion against Vohra, had started consultations in the city council session, but the move will be successful only if all the members of MQM-P are present for the session and pass the resolution with a two-thirds majority.
On the contrary, PSP leaders claimed that many members of the council had already assured them to join their party in the coming days, adding that therefore, all the efforts of MQM-P will go in vain. Arshad Vohra, who recently joined Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP), claimed that many members of the council supported him, and were willing to join PSP soon.
The KMC city council comprises 308 members. MQM-P holds majority in the council with 205 members, while the opposition stands with a tally of 100 members, which includes 42 members from Pakistan People’s Party, 27 members of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), 14 members of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), 10 of Jammat-e-Islami (JI), four of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) and three of Awami National Party (ANP).
The deputy mayor had announced to end his affiliation with MQM-P in a press conference on Sunday. “Unfortunately, I was not able to deliver to the people of Karachi,” he had lamented. “We have been quite unjust to the people of Pakistan,” he added.
“I will resign from the post of deputy mayor after completing all the legal formalities,” said Vohra. When there is no vision there is nothing to do, he said, adding that he tolerated the situation for a year.
