Mayor petitions IHC against his suspension.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz has filed a petition seeking contempt of court proceedings against federal government authorities for suspending him for 90 days.

Mayor Aziz in the petition also asked the court to set aside or at least place his suspension on hold until the adjudication of the petition.

The petition was taken up by Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani.

On Feb 17, the IHC issued a restraining order against the suspension of the mayor when the federal cabinet was about to suspend him.

On Feb 13, the Local Government Commission, headed by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority (CDA) Affairs MNA Ali Nawaz Awan, decided to proceed against Mr Aziz for a number of charges.

During the Feb 13 meeting, acting Chief Metropolitan Officer Humayun Akhtar, who is also the CDA member engineering, filed a reference with the commission against the mayor.

Mr Awan had also recommended that government suspend the mayor for three months until an inquiry is completed for allegedly utilising the services of two dozen staff members for personal use and official vehicles beyond his entitlement.

However, the cabinet suspended Mr Aziz for alleged misappropriation in the award of a contract for the bus stand in G-9.

His counsel, Adil Aziz Qazi, argued that the government had previously tried to remove him illegally and with mala fide intention, but the court in its Feb 17 order restrained the government from taking any adverse action against him.

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