ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday clubbed a petition filed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) with petitions against the transfer of assets and employees of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The petition was filed by the PTI’s opposition leader in the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI).

The stance of the PTI differs from the petitions pending adjudication, as it urges the transfer of the CDA’s employees and assets to the MCI.

Justice Aamer Farooq, following the preliminary hearing, issued notices to the parties before adjourning the hearing until September 6.

The transfer of roughly 10,000 CDA employees and the handing over of assets to the MCI has been pending adjudication before the IHC. The MCI opposition leader, Ali Nawaz Awan and the chairman of union council 35, Malik Mohammad Rafique, have become a party in the case.

According to the provisions of the Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act 2015, PTI officials said, an interim and transitional period is still going on but practically, the local government system has not yet become functional due to technicalities regarding the temporary transfer of CDA employees.

The applicants said they are also stakeholders in the MCI, but are handicapped in performing their legitimate and lawful functions and duties. They asked the court to allow them to be impleaded as parties in the case.

In a petition challenging the handing over of CDA assets to the MCI, three employees of the authority challenged two notifications, issued on June 22 and June 27, putting CDA directorates – along with their assets and liabilities – under the mayor’s administrative control.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2016