KARACHI: The issue of the appointment of administrator Karachi between Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) has been settled after which Dr. Saifur Rehman will be the new administrator of Karachi. He is currently the principal secretary of Governor Sindh Kamran Tesori.

According to the sources, finalising the decision, the Sindh government picked Rehman as the replacement for the Karachi administrator’s post, currently being served by the government’s spokesperson, Murtaza Wahab.

Meanwhile, the notification of Rehman’s appointment as the new administrator of Karachi has been issued after accepting Wahab’s resignation.

Last week, MQM-P Rabita Committee in a meeting decided to appoint former member of the National Assembly Abdul Waseem as the administrator of Karachi, whose name was also sent to the PPP leadership.

MQM-P had recommended Waseem in case a political administrator is to be appointed as the new KMC chief and shortlisted Rehman’s name if a government officer is selected for the top slot.

The decision to appoint Rehman is result of a recent political trade-off between the PPP and the MQM-P when the latter withdrew from Senate by-election in favour of the former’s candidate.

Dr. Saifur Rehman has also been the Commissioner of Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), Deputy Commissioner of East, West District and Administrator of Central Municipality. He has also been the Director General (DG) of Karachi Development Agency.

Posting timeline

I. Govt of Sindh

• Principal Secretary to Governor Sindh from Dec 2020 Till Date
• Secretary Services, Govt of Sind Oct 2020 - Dec 2020
• Metropolitan Commissioner, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) from April.2018 - Sept 2020
• Director General, Karachi Development Authority (KDA) ( 2019 - 20)

II. Govt of Balochistan

• Commissioner, Zhob Division, Balochistan 2017 - 18.
• Provincial Coordinator Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) & Expanded Program of Immunization (EPI)
• Additional Secretarry (Development) Health Dept
• Additional Secretarry (Development) Colleges, Higher & Technical Education Dept

III. Govt of Sindh

• Deputy Commissioner, Karachi Central 2012 - 15
• Deputy Commissioner, Karachi East, (Additional Charge) 2013
• Administrator DMC Central 2013
• Executive District Officer (EDO), Enterprises & Investment Promotion (E&IP), City District Government Karachi (CDGK) 2010 -11
• Project Director Lines Area Redevelopment Project (LARP) City District

Achievements:

• Transparent settlement of thousands of residents of Lines Area & created a new transport artery known as Preedy Street (New M.A. Jinnah Road) from Empress Market to Quaid-e-Azam Mazar.
• On the orders of Supreme Court, peacefully removal of decades old illegal encroachments around Empress Market, Saddar, Khori Garden, Old City, Karachi Zoo & Aram Bagh areas
• On the Supreme Court orders removal of illegal encroachments present for the past 60 years in Kidney Hill & developed a park/urban forest for the citizens of Karachi & planted more then 200,000 fruits / indigenous trees, this initiative brought a positive impact on the improvement of environment of the city.
• Developed & established the state of the art, Covid 19, Infectious Disease and Research Centre at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

Academics:

• World Bank Scholar, Graduate of Columbia University, Master in Public Administration (MPA) New York, USA, in Economic Policy Management.
• He attained his Masters Degree (MSc.) in Health Policy & Management (HPM), The Aga Khan University.
• Master in Public Health (MPH), Baqai Medical University
• Ph.D., Public Administration & Management, Thesis on Public Health, Infectious Diseases on the specificity on eradication of Polio from University of Karachi.

He is also the author of many research articles, dissertations & articles published in international & national journals.