IHC merges petitions against awarding of cattle market contracts in Islamabad

Irregularities alleged in contract

ISLAMABAD:

The high court on Monday merged all petitions challenging the award of contracts for cattle markets in the federal capital.

This was directed as a single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, heard a petition filed by resident Zahid Amin who had challenged the authority of a union council (UC) chairman to award the contract of cattle markets in the UC.

Claiming irregularities in the award of contract for cattle markets, Amin had contended that the Bhara Kahu UC chairman had awarded the contract for the cattle market to his nephew for just Rs1.8 million when the same contract had been awarded for Rs3.4 million the previous year. Hence, a loss of at least Rs1.6 million was caused to the exchequer.

Amin further argued that a UC chairman does not possess the authority to auction contracts for setting up cattle markets in the federal capital and that this authority is vested in the Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC).

He urged the court to declare the award of contract for the cattle market by the UC chairman as null and void.

After hearing Amin's arguments, CJ Minallah directed to club all similar petitions on cattle markets in the federal capital and adjourned further hearings until July 2.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2020.