Jailed leader sworn in as Karachi’s new mayor

KARACHI, Pakistan — Waseem Akhtar, a jailed leader of Mutthaida-e-Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Pakistan, was sworn in on Tuesday as the mayor of Karachi. The MQM leader who was detained last month on allegations that he helped militants and criminals, will run Pakistan’s largest and richest city from his prison cell. The oath-taking ceremony which was attended by foreign diplomats, businessmen and political leaders was delayed for nearly two-and-half-hours as Sindh High Court (SHC) heard and dismissed at least two petitions challenging the right of Akhtar to take oath as Mayor of Pakistan’s biggest city and financial hub. Akhtar, 60, was brought from the Central jail in heavy security and took oath along with his running mate Arshad Vohra who took oath as deputy mayor. Karachi has not had a mayor since 2010 when Mustafa Kamal completed his five-year term. Before the oath-taking ceremony, Faisal Wada, a leading member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party, submitted a petition in the SHC requesting the court to stop the oath-taking ceremony but the petition was dismissed after the court said that no charges have been proven against Akhtar as yet. Akhtar is facing several charges and serving judicial custody in connection with the violence on 12 May, 2007 which is also known as “Black Saturday” riots. A series of violent clashes took place on May 12, 2007 between rival political activists in Karachi with the MQM members who were opposing the arrival of suspended Chief Justice Ifthkar Ahmed Chaudhary at the Karachi airport while other parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party and Awami National Party (ANP), supported the Chaudhary’s arrival. Addressing the audience, Akhtar chanted slogans in favor of chiefs of political parties in Pakistan, by stating “Long live Imran, long live Bhutto and long live Muttahida.” He said that in order to make Karachi progressive and developed, he would need the cooperation of any and every political entity in Pakistan. Akhtar said that he would solve the issues of Karachi and provide Karachiites relief. “If Karachi progresses, the whole of Sindh will progress,” he said. “I appeal to Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal Bhutto to work together for the betterment of Karachi,” he said. Akhtar said that now, after taking oath and assuming the mantle of mayor of Karachi, he was no longer a political person. He said that everyone must put aside past differences and move forward together. “Sindh earns the most revenue for the whole country,” said Akhtar. “We will make this a developed country,” he said. Akhtar was all praises for Sindh chief minister Murad Ali Shah and said that he had come forth as an energetic and dynamic, young chief minister. He expressed the hope that he would be soon freed from jail so that he could serve the people of Karachi.