SC admits Sindh govt’s plea against election of Karachi mayor, deputy mayor

The Supreme Court (SC) has admitted for hearing a petition filed by the Sindh government against the election of mayor and deputy mayor in Karachi.

A three-member SC bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmad on Thursday issued notices to provinces, advocate general Islamabad and federal government and sought replies from them till March 30.

The court sought report whether the representatives of people elected during local bodies (LB) polls will elect their mayor and deputy mayor through show of hands or secret balloting.

Justice Dost Muhammad Khan remarked “if there is an issue of strengthening democracy, then, why political parties don’t sit together and find out a solution with reference to representatives elected by people in local government elections. Had they found a solution, then the case would not have come to the Supreme Court”.

Farogh Nasim represented MQM in the court while Farooq H Naik and others appeared on behalf of the Sindh government. MQM senior leader Farooq Sattar and Karachi mayor-elect Waseem Akhatar were also present in the court.

Naseem told the court that the LB system in Sindh has come to a standstill. He said that earlier LB polls were held on the orders of the SC but now the elected representatives were not being delegated powers to work.

Additional Attorney General (AAG) Rana Waqar told the court that the Attorney General (AG) wanted to appear in the court but he was not available these days, therefore, some other date may be given.

The court inquired how much time has passed following elections. Nasim told the court that 90 days have passed.

The court admitted the petition for hearing and adjourned the hearing of the case till March 30.

The court has also issued notices to other provinces including KPK, Punjab, Balochistan, Advocate General Islamabad and AG. The court remarked that the parties could file additional documents if they wanted so.

Talking to media outside the SC, Farooq Sattar said the PPP and PML-N were pursuing contradictory methodology in Sindh and Punjab.

“It is the duty of the Election Commission to play its due role to end the stalemate. Election has to be held through secret balloting under Article 226 but the PPP does not want this. It talks of show of hands in one province and it talks of secret balloting in the other province. Democracy cannot be run this way,” he said.