HYDERABAD: The oath taking ceremony of Hyderabad’s mayor and deputy mayor was an utterly disorganised event held in the Hyderabad Club on Monday.

Commissioner Bilal Memon administered the oath to PPP’s Kashif Shoro as Mayor and Sagheer Qureshi as Deputy Mayor.

The ceremony was attended by Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro (elder brother of Kashif Shoro), Sindh Assembly member Abdul Jabbar Khan, Information Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon’s son Rawal Sharjeel, Deputy Commissioner Fuad Ghaffar Soomro and Hyderabad SSP Sajid Sadozai, besides a large number of local PPP leaders and activists.

Jam Khan Shoro left the ceremony immediately after the oath taking.

PPP Hyderabad division information secretary Aftab Khanzada conducted the proceedings. He was supported by Fayyaz Ali Shah, elected vice chairman of Mian Sarfaraz Town.

Ceremony in Hyderabad marred by disorder; chairmen, vice chairmen of district councils, town committees also sworn in

PPP workers occupied the stage where the mayor and deputy mayor along with Hyderabad Commissioner Bilal Memon were sitting.

Despite repeated persuasion by the compere, the workers did not leave the stage or even provide space to the media for coverage of the ceremony.

National anthem was abruptly played even without any announcement.

The oath was administered first to Kashif Shoro and then to Saghir Qureshi. Party workers chanted slogans of ‘Jeay Bhutto’. They garlanded the mayor and deputy mayor. Women wing activists Shabana Khan, Sajida Baloch, Ishrat Mughal and others were also present.

The mayor and deputy mayor left for a visit to different areas of the city.

Meanwhile, the chairmen-elect of eight towns – Mian Sarfaraz, Neerunkot, Qasimabad, Tando Fazal, Tandojam, Sachal Sarmast and Shah Latifabad also took the oath of different offices.

LARKANA: PPP-backed Anwar Ali Nawaz Luhar and Mohammed Amin Shaikh on Monday took the oath as mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, of Larkana. Commissioner Ganhwar Leghari administered the oath at a ceremony held in the Begum Nusrat Bhutto Hall in Jinnahbagh.

Senator Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, PPP Sindh president, Jamil Soomro, political secretary to party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, former Larkana mayors Mohammed Aslam Shaikh and Khair Muhammed Shaikh, Larkana DIG Mazhar Nawaz and Tariq Anwar Siyal were among a large number of party leaders, senior activists and workers attended the ceremony.

At a separate ceremony held in a local hotel, Larkana Deputy Commissioner Rabia Siyal administered the oath to the newly-elected chairman, Aijaz Ahmed Ali Leghari, and vice-chairman Assadullah Bhutto, of the Larkana District Council.

She also administered the oath to the chairmen and vice-chairmen of four towns --Hyderi, Dari, Sachal and Empire.

Deputy Commissioner of Kandhkot-Kashmore Munawwar Ali Mithani and Assistant Commissioner Rana Sufyan Babar Khan administered the oath to the chairmen and vice chairmen of district council, municipal committee and Tangwani town committee at separate ceremonies held in the mini-stadium and DC Office, respectively.

Deputy Commissioner of Qambar-Shahdadkot Saleemullah Odho administered the oath to Haji Qamaruddin Gopang and Ghulam Mohammed Isran, the chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the district council.

SUKKUR: PPP’s Barrister Arsalan Islam Sheikh and Dr Arshad Mughal on Monday took the oath as the mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, of Sukkur at a ceremony.

Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Phul administered the oath.

Senator Islamuddin Sheikh, Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khurshid Ahmed Shah, Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, MNA Noman Islam Sheikh and Mohammad Bakhsh Mahar were prominent among those who attended the ceremony.

Syed Kumail Haider Shah (son of Syed Nasir Hussain Shah) and Akhtar Ali Mahar also took the oath of Sukkur District Council chairman and vice chairman, respectively. Deputy Commissioner Dr Shahzad Tahir Thahim administered the oath.

For the Rohri Municipal Committee Mir Yaqoob Ali Shah and Mohammad Aslam Memon took the oath as the chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

The chairmen and vice chairmen of Pannu Aqil Municipal Committee, Salehpat Town Committee, Kandhra Town Committee and Bagarji Town Committee were also sworn in.

MIRPURKHAS: Pakistan Peoples Party’s Abdul Raoof Ghori and Junaid Buland took the oath as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, respectively, of Mirpurkhas at a ceremony held in the Commissioner Office here on Monday.

Commissioner Shafique Ahmed Mahesar administered the oath.

A large number of PPP’s elected representatives, local leaders and activists, as well as senior officials of police and other departments attended the ceremony.

Separately, PPP’s Mir Anwer Ali Khan Talpur and Mir Ahmed Khan Talpur also took the oath as the chairman and vice chairman of the Mirpurkhas District Council.

Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abideen Memon administered the oath.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2023