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ISLAMABAD (Manend News) Chief Justice Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice
Gulzar Ahmed on Wednesday ordered an investigation into the delay in the restoration of
local bodies’ institutions in Punjab. The CJP has summoned report in two weeks.
Headed by CJP Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Mazhar Alam Khan
Miankhel, a Supreme Court bench heard contempt petitions filed against former chief
secretary Punjab Jawwad Rafiq Malik and other on the delay in the restoration of local
government institutions in the country’s largest province. The petitions were field by
Asad Ali Khan and Mayor Rawalpindi Sardar Muhammad Naseem Khan. Lord Mayor
Lahore Colonel (retd) Muhammad Mubashar Javed, Chief Secretary Punjab Kamran Ali
Afzal, Secretary Local Government Punjab Noorul Amin Mengal, Advocate General
Punjab Ahmed Awais Advocate and other officials appeared before the court.
Advocate General Punjab Ahmed Awais presented the notification relating to the
restoration of local government institutions in Punjab issued by the Punjab government
on 17/10/ 2021. AG Punjab informed the court that court order has been implemented.
“The provincial government thinks it has restored local government institutions but in
fact, it hasn’t even drafted the notification correctly,” the chief justice remarked. The
chief justice said that the main purpose has been fulfilled. Chief justice remarked that the
draft of the restoration of local government in Punjab has been very badly drafted. Chief
justice remarked that the 25th March order of the court should have been implemented.
Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhail remarked that we had ordered restoration of the
current system but the Punjab government is only doing the paperwork.
During the hearing chief justice inquired where is former chief secretary Punjab Jawwad
Rafiq Malik. Upon this advocate general Punjab informed the bench that Federal
Secretary Industries and Production Jawwad Rafiq Malik is abroad due to this reason he
has not appeared before the court.
Chief justice said that an official of the Punjab government says that our summaries are
submitted to the chief minister Punjab.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel Nawazish Ali Pirzada contended that
intentionally so far the Punjab government has deliberately not implemented the 25th
March order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He contended that the government had
maintained in the Lahore High Court that it cannot implement the court’s orders on
restoring local government institutions.
At this, the Supreme Court sought all the records of the LHC’s legal proceedings, saying
that it will get to the bottom of the matter via an inquiry.
Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhail said that the written reply by the Punjab secretary
speaks about a summary sent to the Punjab chief minister on the restoration of local
government institutions.
The chief justice said that whoever is responsible for the delay will be held accountable
for it. The court sought certified copies of the LHC’s verdicts while ordering a probe into
the matter. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till two weeks.