Local govt granted role in all development projects of city

IHC directs ICTA to ensure consultation with elected representatives

ISLAMABAD: In a pyrrhic victory for the elected local government representatives of the federal capital, the district administration has been directed by a court to keep members of the metropolitan corporation in the loop for all development projects in the city.

This was directed by a single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing a petition filed by Union Council 34 Chairman Malik Sajjad.

Sajjad, a UC member in the federal capital from a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket, had earlier this year moved the court under Article 199 of the Constitution, stating that the deputy commissioner had issued a tender regarding construction of a water supply scheme in violation of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Local Government Act 2015.

Sajjad had further complained that three years after the election of the local government in the federal capital — following orders of the Supreme Court — the federal government had failed to transfer the administrative and financial powers to the local government. Moreover, he contended that the government had failed to follow the guidelines determined by the Supreme Court in the Imrana Tiwana case of 2015.

The UC chairman further argued that since the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporaation (IMC) was the only elected representative government entitled to use financial, political and administrative powers of the district government, these have been withheld by the federal government and other departments.

He added that these departments have no authority to exercise the powers vested in the IMC and the UCs. Though, ironically, development funds of the local government have not been released which hampers the smooth functioning of the local governments, forcing certain projects of public importance to grind to a halt.

He urged the court to declare the tender notice as null and void and without lawful authority. He further urged the court to direct the interior secretary and the cabinet division to transfer the powers and functions of the local government to the IMC and the UC chairmen.

During Wednesday’s hearing, Sajjad’s counsel Adil Aziz Qazi maintained that the petitioner was a local government representative who had been elected by residents of UC-34 to help eradicate the basic problems of the area. However, the district administration was issuing tenders for development works.

Sajjad further challenged the ICT administration’s authority to oversee development works which the local government was authorised to do.

The court directed the ICT administration to include UC chairmen in all local development schemes. Moreover, the water supply scheme for the adjoining UC Bara Kahu should also be handed over to the relevant UC chairman.

In its verdict, the court further said that local representatives should be given control of departments which had been handed over to the IMC in a notification issued by the interior ministry.

Fahd Malik case adjourned

The IHC on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of a petition till June 18 which had challenged the bail granted to Raja Arshad, the main accused in the Barrister Fahd Malik murder case.

The case as heard by a two-member bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhter Kiyani.

During Wednesday’s hearing, the petitioner's counsel told the bench that by mistake, notices were served to the residential address of the accused.

He urged the court to serve notices to accused in jail. The court accepted this plea.

The bench then adjourned the case until after Eidul Fitr.

It may be mentioned here that an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) had granted bail to Arshad in the murder case which had been challenged before the IHC bench.

The petitioner had argued that the accused cannot be given bail at a stage when the case was near resolution. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 30^th, 2019.