Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has said that Karachi Zoo’s former senior director Khalid Hashmi was not reinstated by the municipal corporation after reports came that the fired staff returned to his position.

“The old director has not been reinstated by KMC & no such order has been issued,” Wahab tweeted in reply to users’ concern over the development.

A June 21 KMC notification made rounds on social media, which “cancelled/withdrawn” all orders in respect of transfer/posting issued in favour of the officers/officials from March 01, 2023.

The notification exempted officers/officials from such directives, adding that they would continue to work as usual and the order shall not be applicable to such officers.

Wahab, who became PPP’s first mayor in the city, did not name Hashmi in his tweet. But he added that the officer concerned was twice removed when he was the administrator.

“So don’t worry he will not be allowed to work as Director Zoo under PPP mayorship,” said Wahab.

Hashmi was relieves of his duties via April 06, 2023 notification. The reason behind the director’s termination was negligence, sources within KMC told Aaj News then. They added that Hashmi was suspended once before in 2021 for negligence over the death of a white lion.

On April 5, a three-member inquiry committee was formed to investigate the complaint of two animal food contractors who accused the zoo’s senior director of extorting money from them.

Two contractors responsible for the animal food supply accused the zoo’s senior director of extorting money from them in letters addressed to the administrator of KMC on March 23.

When Aaj News asked Zoo Director Khalid Hashmi about the allegations, he had said that it was all “propaganda and the contractor was trying to malign him”.