ISLAMABAD, Nov 12: Syed Mustafain Kazmi, a senior officer of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), sidelined in August, has complained to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that the CDA chairman has been victimising him for challenging the action in the court.

His counsel, Kashifa Niaz, moved the complaint on Tuesday as the court was hearing that challenge.

A Grade 20 officer, Mr Kazmi was working as Member Planning of CDA when on August 15 the civic body appointed Mr Waseem Khan, the chief metropolitan planner of the Lahore Development Authority, in his place and made him an Officer on Special Duty (OSD).

That administrative action he challenged in the IHC on August 26.

Counsel Kashifa alleged in the court that the CDA authorities have taken to harassing Mr Kazmi to make him quit the litigation.

She said on November 4, the authorities stopped the fuel allowance of Mr Kazmi. Three days later they cancelled the allotment of the house in sector F-7/3 he was living in and allotted the same to CDA Member Finance Sher Bahadar Arbab.

She called the actions “highly contemptuous” as they contrasted the CDA’s comments on Mr Kazmi’s petition to the court in September that “perks and privileges, including salary, have not been withdrawn” from the petitioner.

She argued that the CDA could not do that even otherwise for the reason that Mr Kazmi was a regular Grade 20 officer of the authority and asked for “strictest action” against it.

IHC Chief Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi, hearing the arguments of advocate Kashifa, however observed that the petitioner was seeking immediate relief in a matter which is already pending for adjudication since August 26. He held that “the relief sought for, being ancillary to the main lis (i.e. main case), cannot be adjudicated upon”.

Earlier, while arguing the main case, the petitioner maintained that Mr Waseem Khan’s appointment as CDA Member Planning was made “in sheer violation of recent judgments of superior courts”.

During the last 53 years only eight regular officers of the CDA had the luck to reach the office of Member CDA Board, the petitioner said to emphasise that successive governments made political appointments against these positions.

According to the petitioner, most of the times influential officers belonging to District Management Group, and having political connections, held the key posts in the CDA. — A Reporter