High court reinstates Islamabad mayor, annuls suspension

Federal cabinet had suspended the mayor for 90 days on allegations of corruption

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) directed for Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz to be reinstated on his post on Thursday.

The court annulled the 90-day suspension notification issued by the government on allegations of corruption.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the mayor's petition challenging his suspension and gave the verdict after the counsels of the respondents presented their arguments before the court.

Local Government Secretary Ali Sufyan appeared before the court. The minutes and the agenda of the Local Government Commission's meetings held on May 7 and May 14 were also presented before it.

The Islamabad advocate-general stated before the court that the federal cabinet suspended the mayor on the recommendations of the Local Government Commission.

Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) Officer Syeda Shafaq Hashmi presented the reference against the mayor.

Aziz was accused of corruption in the Rs42 million contract of intercity bus terminals - five bus stations in various parts of the city -  that the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) had awarded last year, the court was informed.

The commission recommended the mayor's suspension for 90-days to conduct a transparent probe into the matter, informed Sufyan. Six out of nine commission members were present during the meeting.

Aziz's lawyer, Kashif Malik, raised an objection on the matter. He maintained that according to media reports, his client was suspended on allegations of corruption and that had negatively impacted Aziz's reputation in society.

He argued that the IHC had issued an order on the conduct of the local government secretary. The counsel maintained that the appointment of Ali Awan [a PTI MNA] as the chairperson of the commission was a conflict of interest.

The court annulled the notification issued by the home ministry on May 17 and directed that the mayor be reinstated on his post.

Meanwhile, the local government secretary maintained that the allegations against the mayor will be investigated.