RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench on Tuesday put on halt construction of a picnic spot near a heritage site in the Margalla Hills on the outskirts of the federal capital.
Justice Ijaz Ahmed of Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench issued a stay order stopping construction activities. He also issued notices to the Capital Development Authority’s Chairperson Imtiaz Inayat Elahi, Federal Archaeology Department Director General Fazal Dad Kakar and Islamabad Capital Territory Deputy Commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed to submit their comments by January 13, 2011 on a petition filed by a citizen.
The petitioner, Absarul Haq Satti, filed the writ petition saying that the caves in Shah Allah Ditta were archaeological sites and assets of the country.
The government, he maintained, had decided to protect the 2,400 years old Buddha Caves. But CDA approved a plan to build restaurants and a picnic spot at the heritage site, the petition said. The CDA, which has already acquired land for the tourist spot near the site, also asked its environment wing to submit a feasibility report.
It plans to open the site for tourists in the first quarter of 2011, the petition said, adding that such development would seriously hamper efforts to preserve the Buddhist caves.
The construction plans violate Article 20 of the Constitution, which allows freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions, and Section 3 of Antiquity Act 1971, according to the petitioner.
The issue was brought to fore by a group of citizens and environmentalists who woke up the city managers to the threat that commercialisation may swallow up the protected sites of Buddhist caves in the Margalla Hills.
Members of the Capital Citizens Committee raised alarm with CDA Chairperson Imtiaz Inayat Elahi after they noticed suspicious activity near the sites in Shah Allah Ditta suburbs.
They noticed that a restaurant was being planned to be built on the hill right above the 2,400 years old caves and the cluster of Banyan trees at their mouth.
The committee warned the Department of Archaeology and Museums to protect the caves from any damage from private landowners in the area.
“It will be criminal if any harm comes to them,” said Fauzia Minallah, writer and painter.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 15th, 2010.
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