Delay in local bodies elections: Commissioner, CADD secretary put on notice

ISLAMABAD:

Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday sought replies from the Capital Administration and Development Division (CADD) secretary and the Islamabad Chief Commissioner in response to separate petitions filed by two lawyers seeking local bodies elections in Islamabad.

Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi directed CADD Secretary Riffat Shaheen Qazi, and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada to submit their replies by October 8 in response to petitions moved by former law minister Babar Awan and Muhammad Kokab Iqbal seeking the announcement date of local bodies elections in Islamabad.

The petitioners had both argued that under Article 32 of the constitution, the respondents are duty-bound to hold the elections.

Kokab Iqbal contended that Article 37 of the constitution states: “Creation and promotion of local government institutions, comprised of elected representation of the areas concerned, is the best method to meet the demands and requirements of the public.”

He argued that under Article 1 of the Constitution, Islamabad Capital Territory is an independent federating unit, so all the citizens must be treated as equal in accordance with the law, in this case regarding the right to have elected representation.

Khalid Jadoon blasphemy case

Meanwhile, the counsel for Khalid Jadoon Chishti — the prime suspect in the Rimsha Masih blasphemy case — filed a petition before the IHC seeking clarification on its earlier restraining order.

Wajid Ali Gillani, counsel for Chishti, filed a petition seeking clarification whether the trial court could hear the case. On October 1, the IHC chief justice had stopped the trial courts from proceeding in the Rimsha Masih case until October 17.

The district and sessions judge had deferred hearing in Chishti’s bail plea for seven days, asking his counsel to get a clarification from the IHC. The registrar’s office accepted the petition and fixed the hearing for Monday.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 6^th, 2012.