Zubair Qureshi
Federal cabinet in a surprise move on Sunday approved suspension of Mayor of the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) Sheikh Asner Aziz.
The cabinet’s approval on an off-day and through a circulation has drawn ire of the members of the majority party (Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, PML-N) in the MCI and they have expressed their resolve to challenge the cabinet’s “illegal” decision in the court.
Earlier, the cabinet basing its decision on an ongoing inquiry against the Mayor approved the suspension of Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz for a period of 90 days, a notification issued by the interior ministry says.
Aziz has been suspended “with immediate effect for a period of ninety (90) days for fair conduct of inquiry under section 96, sub-section (1) of Islamabad Capital Territory Local Government Act, 2015 (X of 2015)”, the notification added.
The notification was issued by Joint Secretary Interior Ministry Irfan Anjum. Earlier this year, a reference was filed against Sheikh Ansar Aziz in which it was alleged that he was abusing his powers, using staff for personal use, and operating official vehicles that were reportedly beyond his entitlement.
The reference was filed by Humayun Akhtar, a member of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and acting Chief Metropolitan Officer (CMO).
A local government commission led by PTI lawmaker Ali Nawaz Awan had also recommended his suspended during the course of the investigation.
MNA Awan is also the Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on CDA Affairs and according to insiders, the entire matter appeared to be a political tug of war between the PTI and the PML-N.
About the federal cabinet’s latest move to de-seat him Mayor Ansar Aziz and Deputy Mayor Zeshan Naqvi termed it a pre-planned and politically-motivated move of the PTI-government that “could not bear a PML-N’s Mayor in Islamabad.”
Unfortunately, the PTI-government believes in score-settling while performance or public service has never been its consideration, said Sheikh Ansar Aziz while talking to Pakistan Observer.
In the past too we have been rescued by the court against actions based on such false and baseless accusations and this time too we shall challenge the decision in the court and get it withdrawn, said Sheikh Ansar Aziz.
PTI government has been claiming to empower the local governments but this moves shows its real face of going against its manifesto and previous claims, he said.
Deputy Mayor Zeshan Naqvi also regretted the decision of the federal cabinet depriving the residents of Islamabad from the chief of a local government organization.
“Instead of supporting the local government’s representatives and releasing PSDP funds worth billions of rupees, the federal government has been unjustly blocking these funds meant for uplift projects of Islamabad,” said Naqvi adding it has rendered the MCI dysfunctional.
