KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has dismissed a petition filed against the appointment of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC).

Petitioner Mohammad Junaid Siddiqui moved the SHC earlier this month, impugning the appointment of Ahmed Ali Sidd­iqui as CEO of the KWSC.

During a preliminary hearing, a two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC comprising Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar and Justice Nisar Ahmed Bhanbhro confronted the petitioner’s counsel as to any illegality or infirmity in the appointment of the CEO to constitute ingredients of issuance of writ in the nature of quo warranto, which included the eligibility of the person holding public office and illegality or irregularity in the appointment process.

The lawyer submitted that in the meeting convened for appointment of the CEO, Mr Siddiqui himself was in attendance and voted for himself.

The bench in its order noted that as per the record, the issue about appointment of the KWSC CEO was placed in a meeting of the board of directors of the corporation on July 24, 2025.

Mr Siddiqui, who was the managing director of the KWSC at that time, was acting as the secretary of the board, but when the agenda item was discussed about the subject appointment, he was directed to leave the meeting, it added.

Subsequently, it was decided that Mr Siddiqui may be appointed as the CEO and no other defect in the appointment had been pointed out.

“It further appears from the record that the petitioner himself was Baildar in the corporation and in order to achieve his unscrupulous designs he has maintained this petition after about lapse of one year’s time from the recommendation of the board of directors of the corporation,” the bench stated in its order.

“No case for indulgence for issuance of writ in the nature of quo warranto is made out as the petitioner has failed to point out any illegality or irregularity in the appointment process. The petition is, therefore, dismissed in limine along with the listed applications,” it concluded.

It may be recalled that Mr Siddiqui was initially given the charge of managing director/CEO of the corporation in March 2025 after the permanent MD/CEO Salahuddin Ahmed had resigned from his position. Thereafter, a petition was filed in the SHC challenging such arrangement.

In May 2025, the SHC had held that it was not appropriate to fill up senior offices of KWSC with temporary postings and ordered the provincial authorities to fill the post in question with a suitable candidate, whose appointment must comply with all conditions stipulated by the applicable law, rules and regulations within two months.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2026