Wrong forum: LHC dismisses plea against mayor

Opposition claim mayor was not eligible to contest election and should be declared disqualified to hold office

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has disposed of the petition challenging the eligibility of Lahore mayor Col (retd) Mubashir Javed, who was elected unopposed.

While disposing the petitions on Monday, LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah observed the petitioners should first approach the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the purpose.

The petitioner, Abdur Rehman, had submitted the mayor had been in government service and could not contest elections before two years after leaving the job. Mubashir had served as the chief warden of Civil Defence Department as well as a member of the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

Rehman contended the mayor was not eligible to contest any election and should be declared disqualified to hold the office of mayor.

Opposing the petition, Assistant Advocate General Anwaar Hussain said the petitioner had not provided the court any documentary evidence to prove his allegations against the mayor.

The petitioner has failed to establish that Mubashir had been getting remuneration from the government against any service and his petition should be dismissed, he argued.  He added the petitions were not maintainable as the petitioners were not the aggrieved party.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2017.