Pakistan

Judge to civic authorities: Remove encroachments or face contempt proceedings

LHC judge annoyed at non-compliance of May 26 court order

Photo Agha Mehroz/mudassir Raja August 29, 2016

Encroachments on a footpath next to a plaza on Sixth Road, Rawalpindi, has become a cause of nuisance for motorists. The footpath has been transformed into an illegal parking spot and is thronged by street vendors. PHOTO: AGHA MEHROZ/EXPRESS

RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Monday directed civic authorities to remove encroachments in two days or face contempt proceedings.

Judge Ibadur Rehman Lodhi expressed his annoyance at non-implementation of the court’s May 26 order regarding removal of encroachments and speed breakers on roads as well as cleaning of drains.

District Coordination Officer Talat Mahmood Gondal, Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Executive Officer Dr Saima Shah, Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) Executive Officer Rana Rafique, Rawal Town Administrator Nazia Perveen Sudhan, Potohar Town Administrator Arif Rahim and a lawyer representing the Rawalpindi Development Authority could not satisfy the judge regarding the implementation of the court order. Justice Lodhi directed the civic authorities to submit a report regarding implementation of the court order for the removal of encroachments till Thursday.

The judge noted that if the civic agencies’ officials failed to implement the order in letter and spirit, contempt of court proceedings may be initiated against them.

RCB officials assertion that they had confiscated pushcarts and other goods from encroachers and auctioned them off for Rs4 million could not satisfy the court.

The court noted that encroachments were still visible in cantonment areas.

Justice Lodhi came hard on the Rawal Town administration particularly for failing to hire new staff to launch an anti-encroachment drive. Earlier, the court had directed the Rawal Town administrator to hire more staff to remove encroachments from the thickly populated localities and roads of Raja Bazaar.

Petitioner Anwar Dar through his counsel Inamur Raheem had moved the LHC against the apathy of the city managers towards rising encroachments, choked drains, illegal parking, speed breakers and cat-eyes on major roads. On May 26, the court directed the city managers to clear all markets and roads of encroachments and clean the drains beside removing the speed breakers.

The petitioner again filed a contempt of court petition against the city administrators for not complying with the court order.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2016.