Karachi mayor to run office from prison

The mayor of Pakistan’s largest and most populous city has vowed to run his office from prison after being arrested on charges of sedition and terrorism. Waseem Akhtar, of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has been in prison since his arrest in July but was elected Karachi’s mayor last week. A former minister and parliamentarian, […]

The mayor of Pakistan’s largest and most populous city has vowed to run his office from prison after being arrested on charges of sedition and terrorism.
Waseem Akhtar, of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), has been in prison since his arrest in July but was elected Karachi’s mayor last week.
A former minister and parliamentarian, Akhtar won the poll by a landslide, bagging 196 of the 294 votes cast by the city’s municipal authorities. He was allowed out of the prison and escorted to the oath-taking ceremony on Tuesday.
“We know Karachi is plagued by a number of issues and these problems are our problems,” Akhtar said in his oath-taking speech.
“These are all false charges. After taking oath, I have decided to move a bail application in court. And I am sure I will get justice.”