IHC orders removal of SAPM as LGC chairman

Verdict given on mayor’s challenge against appointment

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered immediate removal of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on CDA Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan from the post of Local Government Commission (LGC) chairman.

The court annulled the notification dated January 7, 2020 for the appointment of Awan as LGC chairman and directed the government to make rules regarding the appointment of chairman of the said commission within six months.

The court reserved decision on Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz's application against the Awan’s appointment as LGC chairman.

Single Bench of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani in his decision has ruled against the appointment of Ali Awan as chairman of LGC.

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The mayor of Islamabad had earlier challenged the appointment through lawyer Adil Qazi. Later, lawyer Kashif Ali Malik was also hired by Islamabad Mayor Aziz presented the arguments.

Malik had said in his arguments that there is a difference between nomination and appointment. Awan was appointed, and not nominated.

He reminded that the court has ruled in the Pakistan Medical Dental Council (PMDC) case that the authority is not unlimited. He argued that Awan's appointment was not transparent.

He was appointed to the post without any advertisement and without any competitive process.

Only Awan's name was sent for approval for the appointment of LGC and it is not known who nominated him for the post.

The appointment of Ali Nawaz Awan as LGC chairman is the best example of conflict of interest, he asserted.

The commission was formed by the interior ministry in January for a period of five years after approval of the federal cabinet.

Besides Awan, Senator Seemi Ezdi and MNA Raja Khurram Nawaz were chosen as the members from government benches whereas Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed and MNA Raja Pervaiz Ashraf were to represent the opposition in the commission.

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The technocrat members include Ali Bukhari and Tayabba Ibrahim whereas the Islamabad chief commissioner would nominate a basic pay scale (BPS) 19 official.

The commission was granted unprecedented powers to overlook the performance of the elected representatives of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC).

It had suspended the mayor over allegation of abuse of power, however, IHC had reinstated him. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 17^th, 2020.