ISLAMABAD                   -                 The Islamabad Local Government Commission has formed a three-member committee to investigate a corruption reference against mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz and decided to recommend his suspension from the office till completion of the probe.

According to the details, Chief Metropolitan Officer Humayun Akhtar Khan, who is also the Member Engineering Capital Development Authority moved a reference containing series of allegations on mayor of Islamabad.

In response, the Local Government Commission has constituted a three-member committee to probe the allegations within three months and during the course of investigation, the Mayor would be considered as suspended to avoid influencing the proceedings.

The committee members include Senator Mushaid Hussain Syed, Ali Bukhari Advocate and Director General Islamabad District Administration.    

However, on the other side Mayor Sheikh Anser Aziz while talking to the Nation rejected the said decision by declaring it a conspiracy against the local government set-up and announced to challenge such move in the court of law.

He said that the commission was formed with malafide intentions and I was expecting that they would try to attack on the first elected local government of the city.

“A case is already in the court of law and I will challenge the subject decision as well once got the details, as it is contrary to the rules and regulations,” he told.

The commission according to the section 96-3 of the Islamabad Local Government Act, 2015 can recommend suspension of a mayor, deputy mayors and chairmen to the federal government in case of an inquiry against them to avoid their influence on investigations.

Meanwhile, the federal government is not only entitled to suspend the mayor, deputy mayors and chairmen but it can also take any appropriate decision including their removal in case the allegations become proved during inquiry.   

When contacted, the committee member Ali Bukhari Advocate informed that the commission has decided to investigate the allegations levelled against the mayor and in the meantime he will be suspended from his position by the federal government for fair proceedings.   

The reference filed by the CMO against Mayor of Islamabad contained several allegations including irregularities in human resource management, unauthorised appointments, financial irregularities, sanitation issues, misuse of authority, use of MCI for personal glorification and patronage of illegal housing societies.

The reference alleged that a junior officer of fire department was posted as director municipal administration while an engineer was posted as Director General Parks rather than an environmentalist.  The reference alleged that around two dozen government staff is in personal use of Mayor against the rules while the vehicles are also being used beyond the entitlements.

It was further alleged that advertisement of an illegal housing society was allowed by DMA when the same was notified as illegal project by planning wing.  

 Earlier, in a separate move, the members of MCI belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf also hold meeting of the house in front of Mayor in protest for not calling the session besides their request few days back. They criticised mayor for showing slackness in resolving water shortage issues in the city.