IHC reinstates Islamabad mayor who was suspended by PTI govt

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday reinstated the federal capital’s mayor by suspending the notification of the Interior Ministry under which he was suspended from office for 90 days, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz, who belongs to the PML-N, had challenged the orders issued about his suspension.

Islamabad Local Government Commission Secretary Ali Sufian presented relevant record before Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani who was hearing the matter.

Expressing his anger over the manner the record was submitted, Justice Kiyani asked whether the mayor’s suspension was on the agenda of the seventh meeting of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), to which the secretary said it wasn’t.

The court observed that how the mayor could be suspended when it wasn’t a part of the agenda and reinstated the mayor.

During the proceedings, the Local Government Commission presented the agenda of May 7 meeting and the minutes of May 14.

Six out of the nine Local Government Commission members were present in the meeting and the federal government suspended the mayor on its recommendations, the court was informed.

Meanwhile, Kashif Malik, the counsel for the petitioner, raised objections over Sufian, saying there was an IHC verdict on his conduct.

The counsel argued that the suspension of his client over corruption charges had damaged his repute in the family and society.

However, Sufian was of the opinion that an inquiry would be held into the matter.

After the court ruling, Mayor Aziz went to his office to resume the charge.

It is worth noting that the Islamabad Local Government Commission is dominated by the PTI members and headed by local MNA Ali Nawaz Awan, also a special assistant to the prime minister on the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The federal cabinet, through circulation, got the approval of the decision to suspend the mayor after which the Ministry of Interior issued a notification on last Sunday – a public holiday.

The commission took up the matter out of agenda during a meeting in which two members from opposition parties — Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the PML-N and Raja Pervez Ashraf of the PPP — were not present. Later, the meeting advised the government to suspend the mayor.

The mayor was accused of corruption in awarding an Rs42 million contract for five intercity bus terminals, which the MCI had awarded last year.