KARACHI: A Jamaat-iIslami`s chairman of a union committee on Wednesday moved the Sindh High Court challenging an amendment to the Sindh Local Government Act that allowed unelected persons to run for the election of mayor and deputy mayor.

The petitioner also challenged the notification about appointment of the Karachi mayor.

It is the fourth such petition filed in the SHC impugning the amendment to the LG law as two other identical petitions are already fixed for hearing on Thursday (today).

Petitioner Saifuddin, who was also a candidate of the JI for the office of deputy mayor of Karachi, contended that he was seriously aggrieved by the sudden promulgation of the Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Act 2023 as it was passed with retrospective effect illegally, mala fidely and unreasonably against all norms of justice only to facilitate Murtaza Wahab.

He asked the SHC to declare the impugned amendment ultra vires to the constitution and set aside all the notifications/ orders issued in pursuance of such amendment.

On June 7, JI`s Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman had filed a petition impugning the amendment in question and on June 14, the SHC ruled that the result of mayoral elections would remain subject to the final outcome of this petition.

The petitions are fixed for joint hearing on Thursday (today) before a two-judge bench.