• PTI defectors sit on treasury benches
• House passes three resolutions amid noisy protest

KARACHI: The maiden session of the City Council on Monday saw a noisy start as the opposition parties disrupted the proceedings as soon as it began.

Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Opposition Leader Hafiz Naeemur Rehman and parliamentary leaders of the allied and opposition parties, who spoke on the occasion, could not have audience of the members due to unprecedented ruckus and loud sloganeering in the jam-packed City Council that wore a look of a fish market during its entire 40-minute proceedings.

While members of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and defectors of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) welcomed the mayor by desk thumping, Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and PTI members, who are still loyal to party chairman Imran Khan, chanted slogans against the election of Barrister Wahab to the office of mayor.

The ruckus in the City Council did not pause even during the recitation of the Holy Quran, naat, prayers, and tabling and approval of three resolutions — one condemning the desecration of the Holy Quran in Sweden and the other two offering condolences on the demise of a PPP leader and a female council member.

A scuffle between the PTI members and their defectors also took place when the chair invited the parliamentary party leader of the dissident group, Asad Aman, to address the house.

The PTI councillors pounced over the dissident member in an attempt to snatch the microphone from him. However, PPP and other dissident PTI members foiled the attempt by shielding Mr Aman.

Later, addressing the council members amid unprecedented commotion, the newly-elected mayor expressed the hope that all members would work for the betterment of the city irrespective of their party affiliations. “We will work in every union committee and there will be equal treatment with all members,” he said, adding that the city’s municipal administration would work with everyone for the uplift of the city, including the JI workers.

He vowed that the PPP would make the city the cradle of peace.

“We want to solve the problems of Karachi with the understanding that the all political parties would serve together,” he said, adding that the time would tell who served Karachi and who did politics.

Coming down heavily on the opposition for the commotion in the house, he said that mere shouting of slogans did not solve the city’s problems. “We want to discuss people’s problems,” he said, adding that the issues of water shortage, poor sanitation, cleaning of drains and dilapidated roads would be resolved on a priority basis.

JI’s parliamentary party leader Hafiz Naeem, in his speech, said the Council session was being run in violation of the rules and regulations.

As for the commotion and protest by the opposition members in the council, he held the mayor responsible. “You have stolen the people’s mandate, that’s why it’s all happening in the house,” he added.

While he was still on his feet, his microphone was switched off, but he continued his address amid chaos as some PTI members also scuffled with their dissident members.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz parliamentary party leader Muhammad Feroze and PPP parliamentary party leader Najmi Alam also addressed the members.

Later, the mayor adjourned the house to a date to be announced later.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2023