SHC dismisses plea against Murtaza Wahab's UC election

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Thursday heard a petition seeking restraining order against Mayor Murtaza Wahab’s contesting elections from various UCs, ARY News reported.

The high court directed the petitioner to take the matter to the election tribunal.

Acting Chief Justice Aqeel Abbasi also directed that the tribunal must look into the objections and decide the matter urgently. “Election is a key issue. These cases should be heard on daily basis,” Justice Abbasi observed.

“The matters with regard to the legal flaw, should be heard on priority,” court observed. “Unfortunately, election cases used to be heard for years until the time comes for next election,” Justice Abbasi said.

“Even Supreme Court’s instructions with regard to the local elections are not being followed,” he said.

Jamaat Islami’s lawyer earlier said that Murtaza Wahab contesting elections from irrelevant union committees. “It is mandatory that the chairman candidate belongs to the same UC. Murtaza Wahab has not been registered as voter in Ibrahim Hyderi or Keamari UCs,” JI lawyer Usman Farooq said.

“Mayor Karachi using government machinery for his election campaign,” he further argued.

Advocate General Sindh argued that the petition was non-maintainable as only a candidate could object over the matter.

The court dismissed the plea on the basis of petitioner’s withdrawal of the case.

Pakistan People’s Party’s Murtaza Wahab has recently won a UC chairman seat to retain his position as Karachi Mayor. In the by-polls, Wahab was elected unopposed as the UC Ibrahim Hyderi’s chairman.

He is also contesting polls from Gizri and Keamari areas.

The PPP leader had been directly nominated and elected as the Karachi Mayor by the majority of LG representatives in June. However, it was mandatory to win UC election within six months to retain his mayoral position in accordance with the amended Sindh LG Act.