ISLAMABAD: The outgoing mayor of the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad Pir Adil Gillani on Friday filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) seeking extension in the local government tenure for another year.

He said the term of the local government, which was going to expire on Feb 15, might be extended till Jan 20, 2022.

Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the petition and after preliminary hearing issued notice to the government and sought reply along with parawise report in a fortnight.

The counsel was insisting for an interim order allowing permission to Gillani to stay even after Feb 15. However, the chief justice declined the request saying that primafacie the case of the petitioner was weak.

The counsel for the petitioner pointed out that as per the Local Government Act, the tenure of mayor began in July 2016 when the Union Council chairmen held their first ever meeting.

He said that the term of the Local Government was of five years and it was started after the maiden meeting of the UCs chairmen.

The local government elections in Islamabad were held in November 2015 and MCI was formed February, 15 2016 when Mayor was elected in first sessions of MCI.

According to Election Commission and Local Government Act 2015, the tenure of MCI starts with the date of first session and in this case the first session was held on Feb 15, 2016.

Recently, MCI also in writing informed the Election Commission of Pakistan that the MCI tenure of is going to end on February 15.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021