ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday issued notices to the secretary to president, federal government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) over a petition filed by officers of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) against the Islamabad Local Government Ordinance, 2021.

The CDA Officers Association which includes 300 registered members filed the petition through its counsel Umer Ijaz Gilani.

According to the petition, the ordinance is legislation that has serious consequence for the provinces of Pakistan, whose resources were used to build the federal capital. Legislation of this nature and its implications both in terms of assets, finances and job prospects for the federating units, should have been debated in parliament, it states, adding that the fact it was not done violates the Constitution of Pakistan.

The petition further alleges that it was absurd to elect an entire tier of the federation upon the basis of a mere temporary law, adding, law of this nature, which cannot possibly provide tenure protection to the elected local government falls short of the requirements of Article 140. The petitioner’s counsel contended that this law is patently in excess of the mandate of Article 89 of the Constitution whose scope is limited to emergency legislation.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2022