Power of ‘khokhas’: Connected kiosk owner refuses to close up shop

CDA submits report on illegal structures in public parks.


Obaid Abbasi November 01, 2012

ISLAMABAD:


A local court on Wednesday ordered razing of a kiosk erected in a public park illegally. The owner had defied an earlier eviction notice issued by the civic authorities.


Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court while hearing a petition against encroachment in public parks directed the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) to demolish the kiosk in Shalimar Park in F-7/3 and submit report in two days.

The civic agency’s counsel Nazir Jawad submitted a report on kiosks in public parks to the court on Wednesday. On October 17, the court had sought complete report on the illegal structures in public parks on the petition filed by Vice-Admiral (retd) Muhammad Ahmed Tasnim.

During the course of hearing, Jawad said the CDA’s enforcement directorate had sent a notice to the kiosk’s owner on Sunday last, but he refused to comply with and misbehaved with CDA employees.

The petitioner’s counsel Jahangir Khan Jadoon contended that CDA’s enforcement directorate was reluctant to take action against the kiosk owner Khalid Rehman, allegedly because of his relationship with a federal minister. However, CDA’s counsel denied it and told The Express Tribune that there was no proof that the kiosk was owned by Rehman. According to CDA’s record, the kiosk was owned by Muhammad Zaheer.

Justice Siddiqui questioned whether the allotments for kiosks were made after publishing advertisements, but the civic agency’s counsel could not satisfy the court. The bench directed the enforcement directorate to demolish the kiosk and adjourned the case till Friday.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2012.

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