Hattian Bala (Azadi Times) – In a significant development, the Civil Court of Hattian Bala has officially suspended the elections of the Chinar Traders Association following a legal challenge. The court has issued notices to several key officials, including Deputy Commissioner Jhelum Valley Syed Ashfaq Gilani, Assistant Commissioner Hattian Bala Kamran Khan, and General Secretary of the Chinar Traders Association Mir Khalid Latif, among others. The next hearing is scheduled for September 18.
The Legal Challenge
The court action stems from a lawsuit filed by Muhammad Hafeez Kayani, Muhammad Shafiq Kayani, and others. The petitioners filed a permanent and temporary injunction in the Civil Court of Hattian Bala, arguing that the elections of Chinar Bazaar and Chanawian Bazaar should be held separately. They stated that Chinar Bazaar and Chanawian Bazaar are distinct areas with separate market communities, and the elections for the two should not be combined. The petitioners further claimed that the traders of Chanawian Bazaar had already formed their own organization through mutual agreement.
As a result of this petition, the Civil Court issued an order halting the elections of the Chinar Traders Association. Notices have been sent to seven parties involved in the case, including high-ranking officials like Deputy Commissioner Jhelum Valley Syed Ashfaq Gilani, Assistant Commissioner Hattian Bala Kamran Khan, General Secretary of the Chinar Traders Association Mir Khalid Latif, Tehsildar (Revenue Officer) Siraak Chinar Bazaar, the Girdawar (Revenue Circle Officer) of Siraak Chinar Bazaar, Patwari (Revenue Clerk) of Siraak Chinar Bazaar, and the Election Board of Chinar Bazaar.
Election Preparations Suspended
The suspension of the elections follows an earlier notification issued by Assistant Commissioner Hattian Bala and Election Commissioner Kamran Khan. The notification, numbered 2050-55, had established the election commission for the traders’ elections in Chinar Bazaar. This commission included notable members like Deputy Education Officer (Male) Jhelum Valley Abdul Ghafoor Abbasi, General Secretary of District Bar Association Jhelum Valley Shehzad Iqbal Awan Advocate, Accountant District Council Jhelum Valley Wajid Gilani, and Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner’s office Zafar Ahmed Awan, who was also designated as the secretary and member of the election commission.
In preparation for the election, Assistant Commissioner Kamran Khan had directed Tehsildar Hattian Bala, Khawaja Amjad, through letter number 2040, to finalize the voter list of traders by September 7. To fulfill this task, Tehsildar Amjad had assigned three Patwaris to compile the traders’ voter lists. However, with the court’s injunction, the entire election process has now been halted, leaving the future of the Chinar Traders Association’s elections uncertain.
Implications of the Suspension
The legal challenge brought by the petitioners raises questions about the fairness and separation of market communities in the region. The traders of Chanawian Bazaar, through their agreement, seek to keep their electoral process independent from Chinar Bazaar. This court ruling has paused the election process and is likely to impact how traders in the region organize and conduct their elections moving forward.
The court’s final decision, expected after the September 18 hearing, will determine whether the elections for the Chinar and Chanawian Bazaars will proceed as separate entities or be combined under a unified association, as originally planned by the election commission.
Until then, the election process remains on hold, and all parties involved await further judicial instructions.
