ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday directed the federal government to remove Ali Nawaz Khan, a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) member of parliament (MP) and the chairman of the Local Government Commission (LGC), from his post.
The verdict was announced on a contempt of court petition filed against the federal government by Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz who the government had suspended on May 17 for a period of 90 days on the recommendation of the said commission. Aziz was however reinstated by the IHC on May 22.
Observing that Khan’s appointment against the post was made against the rules of business, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani declared his selection as null and void. The judge also directed authorities to define the role of the chairman within six months.
TUG-OF-WAR BETWEEN PML-N, PTI:
In May, the federal government had suspended Aziz, a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart who was elected to the post and as the head of Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) in 2016, to “ensure a fair trial against him” in connection with the intercity bus terminals’ (five bus stations in various parts of the city) contract worth Rs42 million, which the MCI had awarded last year.
In its meeting on May 14, the LGC had recommended to the government to suspend the mayor so that an inquiry could be initiated against him for alleged irregularities in the awarding of the aforementioned contract.
Subsequently, the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Imran Khan, through a circulation, got the approval of the decision to suspend the mayor and the Ministry of Interior issued a notification on May 17.
The move elicited a strong reaction from the main opposition PML-N who had termed the decision as “coup d’état”.
