KARACHI - Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar on Tuesday announced that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) would not bring no-confidence motion against Deputy Mayor Karachi Arshad Vohra who joined Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) on Sunday and would wait for his resignation. He was talking to the media after chairing city council’s meeting.
Earlier Waseem was warmly received on his arrival at venue of the meeting. Members of the council also offered fateha for the salvation of souls of fathers of council members Haji Ismail and Sher Syed of Malir City. The mayor said the city council was strong and united and the question of success or failure arose only when you got the powers and authority under the SLGO 2013 and the article 140-A of the constitution. “The budget we received for Karachi will be properly utilised,” he assured. He said today’s meeting had only one-point agenda and the resolution was passed with majority votes after which there was no other business to do. Waseem further said those who wanted to bring in no confidence motion should listen this carefully that “We are not going to surrender, but will fight.” He said the opposition members should read the concerned law and rules or at least hire the services of some legal advisers.
Regarding a query about deputy mayor Karachi, he said he was still his brother and he did what he thought better for him. He said the question of bringing in no confidence motion against him did not arise as he himself had hinted at his resignation. “And if he does not do so, then we have the rules and regulations to show him the door,” he added. The mayor said, “We are facing shortage of experienced and senior officers. Four senior officers were suspended by the government and only one of them had been reinstated recently.
He said he had limited monitory powers and could not initiate projects that cost more than Rs20 million.
He said despite being deprived of some major powers, all possible efforts would be made to make the existing departments functional and increase the revenue of KMC.