Gul Plaza inferno: KMC's municipal commissioner removed from post

The Sindh government has removed Municipal Commissioner of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Afzal Zaidi from his post in the wake of the Gul Plaza tragedy.

Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah has issued a formal notification relieving Afzal Zaidi of his duties. According to the notification, Zaidi has been directed to report to the Services, General Administration and Coordination Department.

The notification stated that Sumera Hussain, a Grade-19 PCS officer, has been given additional charge as Municipal Commissioner of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

Zaidi has been facing criticism since the death of three-year-old Ibrahim, who fell into an open manhole near Nipa on November 30. Reports said that Zaidi’s performance during the Gul Plaza fire incident was also found to be unsatisfactory.

Last month, Afzal Zaidi was barred from travelling abroad, according to media reports. Immigration officials said that he had arrived at Karachi airport to travel to Turkey but was offloaded after his name appeared on the stop list.