After his early academic education he finished his degree program in Telecommunication Engineering. He joined the MQM party in 1988, four years after its founding. He is also facing charges as the main culprit in 12 May 2007 riots in which more than 50 citizens were killed.
Akhtar became the Mayor of Karachi on August 24, 2016.
Arrest
Waseem Akhtar was arrested based on a Joint Investigation Team report on Dr. Asim Hussain. These reports, according to legal experts, are inadmissible in courts. The Anti-Terror Court which would try him has also been declared as "unjust and ineffective" by the International Commission of Jurists. Waseem Akhter was arrested shortly after his nomination papers for the Mayor of Karachi were accepted by the Election Commission of Pakistan. Since he was nominated mayor of Karachi, unknown persons registered FIR against him in the District of Malir, home of then Senior Superintendent of PoliceRao Anwar, who would later be suspended by the government. The Anti-Terror Court ordered his arrest, which seems part of chain of political crackdown against MQM, which has blamed the law enforcement agencies for transgressing their authority and extrajudicially killing many MQM workers, including Aftab Ahmed, a former coordinator for Farooq Sattar. Waseem Akhtar also alleges that the court needlessly delayed his bail by not hearing his bail case.
Charges
Charges against Waseem Akhtar included that he listened to speeches by MQM founder Altaf Hussain and clapped. He is also accused of recommending people to Dr. Asim Hussain for medical treatment.
Fake confession reports
Pakistani media ran reported that Waseem Akhtar had confessed to murder, but his lawyers presented a signed letter from his jail declaring the reports to be false. Waseem Akhtar later himself appeared on the media and rejected the fake confession reports. MQM has also alleged that law enforcement agencies were pressuring Waseem Akhtar to withdraw as the mayor of Karachi. Some analysts opined that Waseem Akhtar was not being provided a fair trial.
Fake receipts in Dr. Asim case
Journalist Shahzaib Khanzada revealed that Rangers had submitted forged medical receipts intended to show that Waseem Akhtar had recommended alleged terrorists receive treatment from Dr. Asim. All of the receipts belonged to innocent residents.
Amnesty International
published a report stating that the life of Waseem Akhtar while in detention might be in danger because of torture and ill treatment by the law enforcement agencies.
Release from jail
Waseem Akhtar was released from detention on November 16, 2016 after getting bail on all 39 cases.
