The counsel for Jamaat Islami Karachi Chief Hafiz Naimur Rehman on Tuesday pleaded the Sindh High Court to decide the petition of his client challenging Sindh Local Government (amended) Act 2021.

When the petition of the JI chief was taken up for hearing by the bench headed by Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, the question was raised from the bench whether the high court should hear the petition in hand after a recent judgment of the apex court on its subject matter.

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Barrister Saladuddin Ahmed, counsel for the petitioner, submitted that the Supreme Court judgment was about Sindh Local Government Act (SLGA) 2013 which was assailed before it directly, while in the present petition SLGA 2021 has been challenged.

Justice Sheik inquired from the counsel if the apex court judgment did not apply to SLGA 2021. The counsel replied that the general principle evolved by the Supreme Court definitely apply on the 2021 Act, but the high court’s finding should also come about SLGA 2021.

The Sindh government counsel on the other hand requested for time to file a comprehensive reply of the various important questions raised in the petition.

The bench allowing his request deferred further hearing of the petition to a date to be fixed by office of the court.

The petitioner has sought the court to declare that the SLGA 2021 is against the sprit of Article 140 of the constitution which provides for devolution of political, administrative and financial powers to local government.

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