Contempt: LHC moved against public servants

LAHORE:

A contempt petition was moved on Wednesday by Kamil Khan Mumtaz and Neelam Hussain against public functionaries for violating Lahore High Court (LHC) directives.

Azhar Siddique, the counsel for the petitioners, said the officials had been overseeing the continuation of the Orange Line Metro Train project’s construction within 200 feet radii of 11 protected heritage sites.  He said LHC had stayed construction work in the vicinity of the sites but its directives were being flouted. Siddique requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against LDA Director General Ahad Cheema, PML-N leader Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan and other officials Israr Saeed, Javed Iqbal and Chaudhry Muhammad Ijaz.

An LHC bench had stayed construction work in the vicinity of 11 historical sites on a petition by rights activists IA Rehman and Neelam Hussain among others. The sites include the Supreme Court Lahore Registry, the Chauburji, the Shalimar Gardens, Saint Andrews Church, the tomb of Mehrunissa, Budhu ka Awa and the tomb of Baba Mauj Darya.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2016.