KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Monday lashed out at Karachi Municipal Cor­poration (KMC) Adminis­trator Murtaza Wahab for making a political statement before it and ordered his removal from the post, but recalled the order after the administrator tendered an apology.

A two-judge bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed, however, directed Mr Wahab to perform his duties as the city administrator without being influenced by his political association and without any political interference.

The apex court was hearing a case about the Gutter Baghicha Park wherein the administrator contended that the total land of the park spanned 1,016 acres out of which 200 acres had been allotted to the KMC Officers Housing Society in 1993 by the then mayor Dr Farooq Sattar.

He submitted that 162 acres were available for the park and the KMC will start plantation on it in March. However, he also conceded that there were many portions of the park land encroached upon by industries, katchi abadis and around five graveyards. There is also a treatment plant on the premises, he added.

Justice Amin snubbed the administrator and asked him not to go out of context when Mr Wahab, while referring to Dr Sattar, said it was a political matter.

Amber Alibahi of Shehri-Citizens for a Better Environment, pleading the case against encroachments on Gutter Baghicha land, pointed out that there were some political factors also in the instant case.

At this point, Mr Wahab in an emotional outburst attempted to address the court to defend his party, the Pakistan Peoples Party. However, a visibly annoyed CJP directed him to leave the courtroom immediately for trying to deliver a political speech, and ordered his removal from the post of the administrator.

While dictating Wahab’s removal order, the CJP said instead of assisting the court, the administrator tried to make a political statement against which he was warned time and again, but he continued to argue the case of his political party. An administrator must be someone who conducts himself in a neutral way above political affiliation, he added.

“We find that the administrator cannot disconnect himself from a political party he belongs to and apparently this is not allowing him to function in a neutral manner, as he has deviated from his task of doing work of the administrator and is making statement before the court and representing the case of his political party,” the CJP observed.

He further said Mr Wahab expressed anger in the court and was not fit to hold the position of the administrator. He directed the Sindh chief minister to immediately remove Wahab from the post and appoint an appropriate person as the administrator.

However, when the bench reassembled after a break, it recalled the order about Mr Wahab’s removal after he tendered an apology, while Sindh Advocate General Salman Talibuddin and Ms Alibahi also requested the bench to consider the administrator’s apology and withdraw its order.

Ms Alibahi argued that as per the maps, the entire land of Gutter Baghicha was meant for amenity purposes, but also conceded that there was no notification available in this regard.

The CJP remarked that they needed legal documents about the status of the entire land and the maps were not sufficient. The hearing was adjourned till Tuesday (today), as the chairman for KMC Officers Housing Society sought time to engage a counsel.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2021