KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday appointed former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain, who is currently under custody on alleged Rs62 billion corruption charges, as the party’s Karachi president, said a party statement.

In a brief statement issued by the PPP’s Sindh chapter, the announcement referred to Mr Bhutto-Zardari’s decision about the organisational restructuring of the party and said the party chairman also appointed Senator Saeed Ghani as general secretary and Sindh Assembly’s deputy speaker Shahla Raza as information secretary of the PPP Karachi.

Meanwhile, Dr Hussain called his appointment as PPP Karachi president a “surprise” from the party chairman but vowed to meet expectations of the workers and leadership. After meeting his mother, who was seriously ill and being treated at a private hospital, on special permission from the government, Dr Hussain said he would also bring positive changes in the political culture of Karachi while heading his party in the metropolis.

Published in Dawn, November 23rd, 2016