KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party leader Waqar Mehdi was elected unopposed as member of the Senate after the Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) withdrew nomination papers filed by its three candidates in his favour on Saturday.

Mr Mehdi is the general secretary of the Sindh chapter of the PPP. He was given a party ticket on a seat that fell vacant following the resignation of Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.

After withdrawal of the MQM-P candidates’ nominations, no other candidate was in the field and, according to the Election Commission of Pakistan, Mr Mahdi has been returned unopposed.

He is currently serving as the special assistant to chief minister.

The MQM-P would get the post of Karachi administrator in return of its support for the PPP candidate.

Also on Saturday, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab said that he would immediately vacate the office of administrator if and when party leadership asked him to do so.

He said this while talking to the media after inaugurating the Benazir waterfall in Kidney Hill Park, built at the highest point of the city.

He said that more than 150,000 saplings had been planted in the Ahmed Ali Park (Kidney Hill). “It is the only waterfall in Karachi which has a very attractive view,” he said, adding that Green Karachi was among his priorities.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2022