KARACHI: A day after his nomination for the office of the Karachi mayor, Pakistan Peoples Party’s candidate Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Tuesday dispelled the impression of any grouping within the party over his candidature.

Talking to reporters during a visit to the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati), he said that reports of grouping in the PPP on the issue of party’s mayoral candidate were baseless.

He added that he enjoyed full support of the party leadership, including Faryal Talpur, who according to him, had a key role in promoting him to the status he had in politics.

Barrister Wahab, who is also the chief minister’s law adviser, said that seven PPP leaders, including Masroor Ahsan, Najmi Alam, Liaqat Askani and he himself, had applied for a party ticket for the office of the city mayor.

“After thorough deliberations, the party leadership assigned this important responsibility to me, for which I am deeply grateful,” he said, adding that he would try his best to prove himself able for the job.

To a question, Barrister Wahab said Najmi Alam was his senior who used to do politics alongside his mother Fauzia Wahab.

“We will serve this city together,” he said and added that the grouping in the PPP was out of question, but differences and a difference of opinion emerged everywhere.

He said if elected in the June 15 election, he would not complain of the lack of authority.

The provincial government spokesman said the chief minister in 2016 had given funds to Kati to carry out development work on its own accord, and added that funds would be available soon for Korangi Causeway.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2023