IHC orders for local body elections in Islamabad within 6 months

Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi also ordered for a report to be submitted following the elections.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered for local body elections to be held within six months in the federal capital, Express News reported on Tuesday.

Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi gave this order and also ordered for a report to be submitted following the elections.

The petition, which serves as the basis for this case, was lodged nearly seven years ago.

Earlier, the IHC 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 Qureshi had directed CADD Secretary Riffat Shaheen Qazi, and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada to submit their replies 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.