Body to resolve CDA-IMC tiff
SC directs committee to submit report within a month
PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
The apex court on Monday formed a six-member committee to resolve the issue of power distribution between the civic agency and the elected local government of the federal capital.
This was directed as a five-member, larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, heard the petition on the distribution of powers between the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
During Monday’s hearing, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz appeared before the bench.
“Have you developed any projects for the city in the past four years?” the court inquired.
Aziz told the bench that he had proposed many different projects for the federal capital to the federal government in the past three years.
However, he asserted that the bureaucracy did not want Islamabad to be governed by an elected local government and that the IMC has been barred from doing any work through different means.
He continued that while the SC has given a verdict in his favour, the federal government has started using different tactics to damage him. One such example, he said, was suspending him on the pretext of conducting an inquiry without even listening to him first.
At this, the federal interior secretary told the court that Aziz had served as the chairman of CDA in the past and that the matter of distribution of powers was carried out with his approval.
“Now a local government commission (LGC) has been established to resolve disputes over power between the two bodies,” the secretary added.
Furthermore, the secretary pointed out that they had released some Rs6 billion to the IMC in the fiscal year 2019-2020.
The government’s representative argued that the IMC has to make its own budget but it has not yet done so. In fact, he said that the interior ministry continues to pay the salaries of the corporation’s employees.
“IMC was even given as many as 10,000 workers by the ministry,” the secretary noted.
Justice Aijazul Hasan pointed out that the IMC has so far received Rs18 billion. At this, CJ Ahmed remarked that the mayor is maligning his position in the eyes of the court.
“Are you waiting for something to descend from the skies,” he remarked, adding that Aziz did not appear to be a serious man.
CJ Ahmed said that the mayor was an elected representative and should display his power.
The chief justice, though, took a strong exception to the mayor’s attitude, saying that demanding an accountant from the government was unjustifiable.
“The IMC is itself a government and should generate its own revenues,” the court noted.
If the mayor was not interested in working, CJ Ahmed said that he should step down. “How will you go before the people to ask for votes again?” the court asked Aziz.
“You shouldn’t act like a beggar and show some mettle as you are an elected representative,” the bench stated, noting that the mayor spends most of his time abroad.
Aziz responded by saying that he has not travelled internationally for the past six months and insisted that the government is not empowering him as directed by the court.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that Naimatullah Khan of Karachi and Shujaur Rehman of Lahore were legendary mayors. “We have witnessed these mayors working laboriously,” he said.
The court formed a six-member committee including the secretaries of finance and interior, the CDA chairman, Islamabad mayor, and Islamabad Advocate General. The committee has been tasked to resolve the issue of power and funds between the civic bodies and submit its report within a month.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2020.
The apex court on Monday formed a six-member committee to resolve the issue of power distribution between the civic agency and the elected local government of the federal capital.
This was directed as a five-member, larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, heard the petition on the distribution of powers between the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
During Monday’s hearing, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz appeared before the bench.
“Have you developed any projects for the city in the past four years?” the court inquired.
Aziz told the bench that he had proposed many different projects for the federal capital to the federal government in the past three years.
However, he asserted that the bureaucracy did not want Islamabad to be governed by an elected local government and that the IMC has been barred from doing any work through different means.
He continued that while the SC has given a verdict in his favour, the federal government has started using different tactics to damage him. One such example, he said, was suspending him on the pretext of conducting an inquiry without even listening to him first.
At this, the federal interior secretary told the court that Aziz had served as the chairman of CDA in the past and that the matter of distribution of powers was carried out with his approval.
“Now a local government commission (LGC) has been established to resolve disputes over power between the two bodies,” the secretary added.
Furthermore, the secretary pointed out that they had released some Rs6 billion to the IMC in the fiscal year 2019-2020.
The government’s representative argued that the IMC has to make its own budget but it has not yet done so. In fact, he said that the interior ministry continues to pay the salaries of the corporation’s employees.
“IMC was even given as many as 10,000 workers by the ministry,” the secretary noted.
Justice Aijazul Hasan pointed out that the IMC has so far received Rs18 billion. At this, CJ Ahmed remarked that the mayor is maligning his position in the eyes of the court.
“Are you waiting for something to descend from the skies,” he remarked, adding that Aziz did not appear to be a serious man.
CJ Ahmed said that the mayor was an elected representative and should display his power.
The chief justice, though, took a strong exception to the mayor’s attitude, saying that demanding an accountant from the government was unjustifiable.
“The IMC is itself a government and should generate its own revenues,” the court noted.
If the mayor was not interested in working, CJ Ahmed said that he should step down. “How will you go before the people to ask for votes again?” the court asked Aziz.
“You shouldn’t act like a beggar and show some mettle as you are an elected representative,” the bench stated, noting that the mayor spends most of his time abroad.
Aziz responded by saying that he has not travelled internationally for the past six months and insisted that the government is not empowering him as directed by the court.
Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that Naimatullah Khan of Karachi and Shujaur Rehman of Lahore were legendary mayors. “We have witnessed these mayors working laboriously,” he said.
The court formed a six-member committee including the secretaries of finance and interior, the CDA chairman, Islamabad mayor, and Islamabad Advocate General. The committee has been tasked to resolve the issue of power and funds between the civic bodies and submit its report within a month.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 2nd, 2020.