SC Withdraws Order To Remove Murtaza Wahab As Karachi Administrator After His Apology

The Supreme Court has withdrawn its order to remove Karachi administrator Murtaza Wahab from his post after he issued an 'unconditional' apology to the court. Earlier today, the SC had ordered Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to replace him with a 'capable and unbiased' person. The apex court ruled that Wahab had "prima facie failed to fulfill his duties".

The order was issued by a two-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Qazi Mohammad Amin.

The bench grilled Wahab while hearing a number of issues about unauthorised and illegal construction, encroachments of amenity plots, conversion of residential properties into commercial ones and the matter of two private hospitals reportedly operating on amenity plots. The hearing was held at the SC's Karachi registry.

The court was enraged over Murtaza Wahab's use of harsh words. At one point, the chief justice asked Wahab to "get out". "You are playing politics here," CJ Gulzar told him.

At this, Wahab harshly asked the CJ if he should walk out and leave the government, adding that government is bitterly criticised in open courts.

These remarks by Wahab angered the court, with the chief justice saying, "Shut up mister!" The CJ then ordered Wahab's removal, asking if he was an administrator or political leader.

However, Wahab later issued an apology for his tone, after which the apex court took back its order to remove him as Karachi administrator.