ISLAMABAD: The government has made yet another attempt to remove Islamabad’s mayor, who has filed a petition in this regard with the Islamabad High Court (IHC).

Back in February, the PTI government initiated a process to suspend Sheikh Anser Aziz, mayor of the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI), which was thwarted by a restraining order issued by the IHC in Mr Aziz’ favour.

The government suspended Mr Aziz last month, but on May 21, the IHC issued a stay order against his suspension.

The government then filed an intra-court appeal against the order, but withdrew it on June 1.

On June 2, the Local Government Commission summoned Mr Aziz to a meeting on June 3 to discuss an agenda item related to his suspension.

In his interim order to reinstate Mr Aziz as mayor, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani said that an inquiry was initiated against him in contradiction to the Local Government Act.

He also observed that the law made it clear that the only reason to suspended the mayor was if the mayor is influencing a pending inquiry, which the available record did not accuse Mr Aziz of doing. Justice Kayani also noted that his suspension was discussed in his absence.

It was perhaps because of this that the commission hurriedly summoned Mr Aziz for a meeting on Wednesday.

Mr Aziz has filed a petition against this development through his counsel Kashif Ali Malik, which states that the Local Government Commission on June 2 summoned him to the meeting through a WhatsApp message delivered after official working hours at 6:30pm. A copy of the notice was delivered to his personal residence at 11:55pm the same day.

According to the petition, the notice “refers to the agenda of the meeting”, which states: “Decision for formal inquiry proceedings…wherein the federal government has been pleased to suspend Mr Sheikh Ansar Aziz as mayor Islamabad for a period of 90 days.”

The petition said that even though the constitution, working and decision of the commission was sub judice, the commission authorities have asked the mayor to participate in a meeting referencing the same May 17 notification regarding his suspension.

It alleged that the respondent authorities “in an unholy haste would reflect that they are hell bent upon suspending the petitioner mayor come what may.”

The petition asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against respondents including the interior secretary, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Capital Development Authority Affairs Ali Nawaz Awan and Local Government Commission Secretary retired Capt Syed Ali Asghar for violating the IHC restraining order.

Published in Dawn, June 4th, 2020