Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has challenged the amendment to the Local Government Act in the Sindh High Court (SHC) before the election of the Karachi mayor, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The JI in its petition stated that the local bodies’ elections had been completed under the Local Government Act 2013, adding that the elected chairmen had taken the oath under the same law.

“Under the amendment to the act, electing the unelected persons as chairman/mayor has been approved. In accordance with the spirit of the Local Government Act, the mayor should be from the elected representatives,” it emphasised.

“Articles 90 to 93 and 129 to 131 of the Constitution define the structure of the federal and provincial governments. Electing unelected persons as mayors will be against the spirit of the Constitution and the Local Government Act,” it added and demanded that the notification of May 24 be declared null and void.

JI Karachi Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman claimed that the controversial amendment to the Local Government Act had been passed in the Sindh Assembly on the basis of the majority.

“It is not a level playing field to bring a person in from outside. The mayor should be from the elected representatives. The May 24 notification issued under the amended act should be declared null and void,” he demanded.

Reporter: Bilal Ahmed