KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday appointed former federal minister Dr Asim Hussain, who is currently under custody on alleged Rs62 billion corruption charges, as the party`s Karachi president, said a party statement.

In a brief statement issued by the PPP`s Sindh chapter, the announcement referred to Mr Bhutto-Zardari`s decision about the organisational restructuring of the party and said the party chairman also appointed Senator Saeed Ghani as general secretary and Sindh Assembly`s deputy speaker Shabla Raza as information secretary of the PPP Karachi.

Meanwhile, Dr Hussain called his appointment as PPP Karachi president a `surprise` from the party chairman but vowed to meet expectations of the workers and leadership.

After meeting his mother, who was seriously ill and being treated at a private hospital, on special permission from the government, Dr Hussain said he would also bring positive changes in the political culture of Karachi while heading his party in the metropolis.