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 in Karachi. He was appointed the city administrator a day ago.

During today's 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.

The administrations of Central and Korangi districts had approached the SSWMB and the body would start waste management in one zone of Korangi district and two zones of Central district by the end of this month, he said.

"And you will see a visible difference."

The administrator added that while it would take time to address the city's water problem, he believed that issues pertaining to sewerage could be resolved soon. He said that he will hold a meeting with the officials concerned in this regard.

Administrator's appointment

Wahab was appointed as the Karachi administrator with immediate effect on Thursday, with the local government secretary notifying the appointment.

Earlier, amid rumours of Wahab's name being touted for the post, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail had said on July 10 that Wahab’s appointment as the city's administrator would not be acceptable to him at “any cost”.

He had underlined that the Karachi administrator must be appointed after mutual consultation of the PPP and the PTI. “The administrator will be the one having experience in administration,” he had said.

Later on July 24, Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah had called on the governor and insisted that it was his prerogative to choose anyone for the administrator’s post.

In response to a question about the governor’s reservations over such a development, the CM had said: “The governor and PTI have no right to raise any objection to the appointment [of Murtaza Wahab] as the Karachi administrator.

He had said the PPP believed in every institution’s right to work within its domain. "Other political parties should also behave and work as per the Constitution and law while exercising their authority, powers etc," he had added.

Career trajectory

Wahab's journey 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.

Wahab took another leap when he was elected unopposed as a senator in August 2017 and completed his tenure in March 2018. The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of Saeed Ghani.

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.