Women Development Complex case: IHC seeks replies from rangers, chief commissioner

The complex is being used as a barrack by rangers officials

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday directed the ministry of interior and rangers to inform the court about the status of a vocational training centre for women in Tarlai, which is currently in rangers’s possession.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani directed the authorities to inform the court who had allowed the Rangers to stay in the training centre. In case of failure, the judge remarked, the respondents will be called in person before the court.

In a previous hearing, the court had issued notices to the interior secretary, the Islamabad chief commissioner, Rangers Punjab commandant, and the mayor of Islamabad on a petition seeking Rangers’ eviction from the vocational training centre.

Petitioner Shakeel Ahmed Janjua has filed the petition before the IHC saying that the Rangers have been residing in the building for the last three years.

Janjua through his counsel, Yasir Mehmood Chaudhry, also argued that the Islamabad chief commissioner had established a Women Development Complex (WDC) in Tarlai Union Council in 1990 to provide vocational training to women of the rural area in the fields of computer, painting, cooking, beautician, and embroidery and the centre was abruptly closed later on.

He said the ministry of interior and chief commissioner’s office illegally provided the building to Punjab Rangers as accommodation, adding that applications were submitted before the ministry of interior and chief commissioner in April for redress of his grievance, but the respondents did not paid any heed.

He said that due to the rangers’ occupancy, women in the rural areas of Islamabad are deprived of vocational training. Petitioner said that under the law, an education institution could not be used for any other purpose.

The petitioner has prayed to the court to direct rangers to vacate the WDC and for the ministry of interior and Islamabad chief commissioner to arrange alternative lodging for them.

He has also prayed the court to direct the respondents to restore the WDC to its original purpose and initiate vocational courses for rural women.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2016.