ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Friday withdrew the notification under which Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz was suspended.

The mayor, however, will face an inquiry related to alleged misappropriation in awarding contract for G-9 bus stand.

The federal cabinet had suspended Mr Azizfor 90 days on May 17 on corruption charges.

Additional Attorney General Tariq Mehmood Khokhar, on behalf of the federal government, told the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the notification for suspension of Mayor Aziz had been withdrawn.

He said the government had taken the decision in the continuation of the two recent cases in which it initially sacked the managing director, Karachi Port Trust, and chairman, Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Policy Board, but later withdrew the notifications and decided to probe the allegations first.

Sheikh Anser Aziz to face inquiry in G-9 bus stand contract case

Mr Khokhar said inquiry against Mayor Aziz would be proceeded strictly in accordance with rules.

Subsequently, IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani disposed of the petition filed by the mayor.

The IHC had issued a stay order on May 21 against the suspension, observing that the mayor was condemned unheard and was suspended without completing the formalities.

Kashif Ali Malik, counsel for the petitioner, told the court that another petition of the mayor in which he had challenged the Local Government Commission was yet to be decided.

The court adjourned the hearing on this petition for a fortnight.

During the previous hearing, Mr Malik had argued that despite the fact that the court had issued restraining orders against the suspension of the mayor and the matter was sub judice before the court, the respondents hurriedly moved an Intra Court Appeal which was withdrawn later on, and then initiated proceeding against the mayor in haste.

According to the petition, the notice “refers to the agenda of the meeting”, which states: “Decision for formal inquiry proceedings…wherein the federal government has been pleased to suspend Mr Sheikh Ansar Aziz as mayor Islamabad for a period of 90 days.”

The petition said that even though the constitution, working and decision of the commission was sub judice, the commission authorities had asked the mayor to participate in a meeting referencing the same May 17 notification regarding his suspension.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2020