RAWALPINDI, July 13: The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to the government of Punjab and city district administration Rawalpindi to show reasons for transferring different municipal services and revenue sources of Rawal Town to the district government.

The petition had been filed by some opposition members, belonging to the Peoples Party, of Rawal Town challenging the notification issued by the district nazim in which the town administration has been asked to take steps for handing over of different departments like sanitation, and revenue sources like commercialisation fees, general bus stand contract, board fees to the city district government.

The petitioners including Rana Sohail Pasha, Nasir Mir, Tahir Gondal and Abul Khair, in their joint petition, termed the June 27 notification of the district nazim as illegal, unjustified, and prayed to the court to declare it null and void.

Their counsel Shah Khawar Advocate on Thursday pleaded before the single bench of Justice Sardar Muhammad Aslam that, according to Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001, the notification was in conflict with the powers delegated to the city district government and town administration.

He further argued that the powers of the town government could not be transferred to the district government.

It has been stated in the writ that the notification issued by the city administration was also the negation of the devolution plan.

The petitioners also informed the court that the above- mentioned departments were the main sources of income for the town administration and if they were transferred to the city district government the town administration would be deprived of an estimated amount of Rs300 million which would cripple its working. This constitutes gross violation of the basic rights of about one million people of Rawalpindi, they further argued. The sanitation, development and other civic services of the town administration would be greatly affected, they said.

The opposition councillors claimed that they had the support of most of the town council members. They alleged that the vested interests of two political families of the city had adverse effects on innocent residents.

After hearing the arguments, the learned judge directed the government of Punjab and city district administration to submit para-wise comments within 15 days.