KARACHI: The Sindh government on Thursday formally appointed Barrister Murtaza Wahab as Karachi administrator to look after the administrative and municipal affairs of the metropolis before the local bodies’ elections. The decision triggered a strong reaction from the federal government and its allies, but a key federal minister, despite reservations on the appointment of the PPP man to the office, called it a legal right of the provincial authorities with Islamabad having no space under the law to challenge its move.

Moreover, the Sindh cabinet saw a major reshuffle of portfolios, as well as the induction of four new ministers.

Mr Wahab’s appointment came with the notification issued by the Sindh local government department under Section 21(3) of the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 which mentioned relieving Laeeq Ahmed, a BPS-20 officer, from the position with immediate effect. The speculation about the appointment of Barrister Wahab as Karachi administrator had emerged a few weeks ago when the provincial cabinet discussed a few names for the position.

The rumours further strengthened when the Sindh government spokesman was seen active during the first spell of rain in the city, supervising a cleanliness drive and visiting various parts of the metropolis and inspecting municipal services during the downpour. While originally serving as adviser to the Sindh chief minister on law, environment, climate change and coastal development, he is also an official spokesman for the provincial government representing the Pakistan Peoples Party administration on the main broadcast, print and digital media.

Career trajectory

The journey of Mr Wahab in mainstream power politics took off in 2015, almost three years after the death of his mother and senior PPP leader Senator Fouzia Wahab when he was appointed an adviser to the chief minister. In November 2016, however, the Sindh High Court declared his appointment illegal as CM’s law adviser while also nullifying his chairmanship of the board of governors of law colleges in Karachi.

Sindh cabinet expanded, reshuffled

Mr Wahab took another leap when he was elected senator unopposed in August 2017 and completed his tenure in March 2018. The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of Saeed Ghani, up till Thursday the Sindh education minister.

His role became more active after the 2018 elections and in the new Sindh administration he was seen as more aggressive and involved in representing the PPP and its provincial government. His appointment became almost obvious a couple of weeks ago when in a one-on-one meeting with PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari he was appreciated for his “service” in Karachi and encouraged to keep it up.

The 37-year-old new Karachi administrator, however, found himself honoured to be entrusted by his party and its leadership but at the same time realised the tough job ahead.

“It’s a gigantic task,” he said. “The PPP has always served this city and it’s an honour indeed that the party has trusted me this time for the job. I would do my best and give 100 per cent and with the support of the Karachiites. I am confident that every challenge, every difficulty and every problem has to come to an end with the rise of a new day. We would exploit every potential of this vibrant city to make it peaceful and prosperous.”

Criticism

The appointment of Barrister Wahab was strongly criticised by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government in the centre and its allies. A day after the proposal of his name as Karachi administrator hit the headlines, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail called it “not acceptable at any cost”.

“[We] will not accept Murtaza Wahab as the Karachi administrator at any cost,” said Mr Ismail, claiming that it had been decided that the administrator of the country’s biggest city would be a non-political person. His party’s ally in the centre, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, had also raised the same reservations. However, the appointment of Barrister Wahab was unlikely to face any challenge on ground from his opponents.

“If you ask me on principles grounds, we have the right to oppose his [Barrister Wahab’s appointment],” Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar told Dawn. Mr Umar is also looking after projects under the federal government-funded Karachi Transformation Plan.

“It was a decision in principle that the administrator would be a non-political person which was agreed to in meetings between the two [federal and provincial] sides. But if you want any document or signed paper, so no. There was not anything like that but definitely in principle a consensual decision. Legally speaking, it’s a right of the Sindh government to appoint Karachi administrator.”

Cabinet expansion

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday further expanded his cabinet, inducting four more ministers, three advisers and 13 special assistants and reshuffled portfolios of several of his key cabinet members with major changes in the education and information ministries.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail at a simple ceremony administered the oath to the four new ministers — Mohammad Sajid Jokhio, Gianchand Essrani, Syed Zia Abbas Shah and Jam Khan Shoro — at Governor’s House. The ceremony was attended by the Sindh chief minister and provincial ministers.

Zia Abbas, a member of the Sindh Assembly from Tando Allahyar, is a new face among the ministers, who won his constituency seat for two consecutive terms. He is a son of PPP stalwart Ali Nawaz Shah Rizvi, a former PPP MPA. Sajid Jokhio, Gianchand Essrani and Jam Khan Shoro have served as provincial ministers in the last PPP government also.

Gianchand has served as excise minister and is an MPA from Thano Bulla Khan, Jamshoro district. Sajid Jokhio has also served as minister for Zakat and Ushr during the last PPP tenure.

While reshuffling the cabinet, Ismail Rahu was allocated ministry of universities and boards, environment, climate change and coastal development, Makhdoom Mahboob named as revenue minister, Saeed Ghani was relieved of education ministry and assigned the information ministry with labour.

Syed Sardar Shah has been given education along with culture, tourism, antiquities and archives. Taimur Talpur was given forests, Syed Nasir Shah local government, housing and town planning and public health engineering; Jam Ikramullah Dharejo industries and cooperation; Sajid Jokhio, social welfare; Gianchand Essrani minorities affairs, Zia Abbas Shah works and services, and Jam Khan Shoro, the irrigation department.

The chief minister allocated/reallocated portfolios of law and spokesperson for government to Murtaza Wahab; prisons to Aijaz Jakhrani; agriculture to Manzoor Wassan, Zakat, Ushr and religious affairs to Fayaz Butt and rehabilitation and relief to Rasool Bux Chandio.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2021