A division bench headed by Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar also granted the PDMA DG and the BoR a week to file comments.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Flood Relief Committee, a body representing the families sheltered in flats belonging to the labour department in Gulshan-e-Maymar, against the government authorities’ eviction attempt.
The petitioner had submitted that thousands of people whose houses were destroyed by the flood had started a new life in the flats. However, the labour department had recently published a public notice asking the occupants to leave the temporary shelters, alleged the committee.
“On one hand, the authorities have failed to rehabilitate the flood victims, and on the other, they are asking the families to leave,” the petitioner complained, pleading to the court to restrain the officials from evicting them.
During the last hearing, the judges had expressed displeasure over the conduct of the authorities and summoned the chief secretary to personally appear in court to answer their queries, since the law officials of the various departments were unable to do so.
On Thursday, Advocate Ahmed Pirzada appeared for the BoR and requested time to file the comments. The bench granted him one week, cautioning him that the comments along with all relevant, comprehensive material must be filed within such time.
The judges also ordered the DG PDMA to appear in court himself with the comments, warning him that a fine of Rs250,000 would be imposed otherwise.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2014.
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