ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday awarded tickets to their candidates for Islamabad mayor’s election slated to be held on Dec 28, as Islamabad High Court rejected petitions seeking postponement of the polls.

The upcoming mayor will hold office for almost two months as the five-year term of the mayor will end in February.

The PML-N, which is a majority party in the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), awarded ticket to Pir Adil Gillani, who is the chairman of Union Council Bari Imam. The PTI awarded its ticket to Malik Sajid Mahmood, the G-10 UC chairman.

However, sources said two other candidates of the PML-N - Sajid Abbasi and Zaheer Shah - who were not given tickets, were still in the race as they did not withdraw their nomination papers on Monday.

The sources said if the party failed to persuade them to withdraw in favour of the its ticket holder, the PML-N could face a major dent.

The sources said there were seven candidates of PML-N for the party ticket and after “balloting” Mr Gillani was awarded the ticket.

A source in the ECP said the mayor’s election would be held on Dec 28 and PML-N candidates could retire four days before the polls.

The seat of mayor fell vacant after the surprise resignation by Sheikh Anser Aziz on Oct 1.

After the development, the PML-N local leadership wanted to award the party ticket to deputy mayor Chaudhry Riffat Javed, who is a close relative of former minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry.

However, the Election Commission ruled that deputy mayors could not contest the election of mayor.

Meanwhile, IHC on Monday dismissed petitions filed by three deputy mayors, seeking to stop the election.

The deputy mayors were aspirants for the post but were barred from the election process under the local government law.

IHC Justice Aamer Farooq rejected the petition, saying deputy mayors could not contest the election.

However, they can cast vote, the judgment said.

Justice Farooq remarked that there were weaknesses in the local body system. How could the court rectify it. Most powerful people are living in the federal capital but the city is still ignored, he said.

The bench remarked that there should be a new model and separate assembly for Islamabad.

The chief commissioner is running the affairs of the city and he has been given three posts, Justice Farooq observed, and expressed concern over the Capital Development Authority’s role in this regard.

The court remarked that cleanliness of the city was started after several years, adding posh areas were still in a bad condition. Justice Farooq had reserved the judgment on Friday which was released on Monday.

After the development, the three deputy mayors have been given voting rights.

As a result, the PML-N has 48 members (voters) against the 25 members of the PTI.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2020