Committee formed as opposition foresees mass corruption
Minister for housing agrees with most objections raised by PTI leader
Lahore Development Authority office PHOTO: EXPRESS
LAHORE:
Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Syed Haroon Ahmed Sultan Bokhari formed a three-member committee after the opposition leader feared a huge scam may emerge from the LDA City scheme.
The opposition leader expressed his apprehension over the fact that the government had failed to implement a Supreme Court’s verdict relating to the powers of the LDA which were contradictory to a specific section to the Constitution and the Local Government Act.
LDA demolishes four illegal structures
During questions hour, opposition leader Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed said billions were being fleeced from the general public in the name of LDA City. He said the Supreme Court passed a ruling two years ago, saying the powers of LDA were contradictory to the Constitution. He further explained that the SC also ruled that Section 13 of the LDA Act was in contradiction to the Local Government Act. He said that in this regard, the SC’s ruling was clear that the section was overlapping and was tantamount to snubbing the powers of local governments.
He said the small construction, map approval and other work came under the jurisdiction of the town and municipal committee and zones rather than LDA. He said two years had passed since the SC verdict, but there was no development on the matter or implementation of the order. Rasheed said this was despite the fact that he met with provincial law minister Rana Sana Ullah and also talked with the local government minister on two occasions. The opposition leader claimed he had even spoken to the chief secretary, but no one was ready to get the SC order implemented.
Syed Haroon Ahmed Sultan Bokhari agreed with most of the objections raised by the opposition leader, adding there was little doubt the people were suffering a host of problems. “The people will see a big change in three to four months,” he said. Subsequently, he formed a committee consisting of the LDA DG, Secretary Housing, Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency DG to probe the issues raised by the opposition leader.
Meanwhile, the treasury benches also managed to pass eight amendment bills despite the strong reservations of the opposition.
LDA starts work on new housing scheme
Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017
In this act, Section 3 shall be added and deemed to have been effective as of 18 April, 2012 when the Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Act 2012 came into force. It reads: “Notwithstanding the omission of Section 8 of the Act by The Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Act 2012, any rules, regulations or appointments made, orders passed, notifications issued, powers delegated, contacts entered into, proceedings taken, rights acquired, liabilities incurred, penalties imposed, rates, fee or charges levied or other thins done or actions taken under the provisions of said section, shall continue to have effect unless recalled withdrawn or cancelled”.
Punjab Ehtram-e-Ramazan (Amendment) Bill 2017
In this case, the amendment read: “Those who will violate, Sub-section 1 of Section 4 of Ehtram-e-Ramazan Ordinance 1981 (XXIII) which states that ... No proprietor, manager, servant, or other person in charge of a hotel, restaurant or canteen, or other public place, shall knowingly and willfully offers or serve or cause to be offered or served any eatable during fasting hours in the month of Ramazan to any person who, according to the tenets of Islam, is under an obligation to fast ... will be fined Rs50,000 in the amendment bill 2017.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2017.
Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering Syed Haroon Ahmed Sultan Bokhari formed a three-member committee after the opposition leader feared a huge scam may emerge from the LDA City scheme.
The opposition leader expressed his apprehension over the fact that the government had failed to implement a Supreme Court’s verdict relating to the powers of the LDA which were contradictory to a specific section to the Constitution and the Local Government Act.
LDA demolishes four illegal structures
During questions hour, opposition leader Mian Mehmood ur Rasheed said billions were being fleeced from the general public in the name of LDA City. He said the Supreme Court passed a ruling two years ago, saying the powers of LDA were contradictory to the Constitution. He further explained that the SC also ruled that Section 13 of the LDA Act was in contradiction to the Local Government Act. He said that in this regard, the SC’s ruling was clear that the section was overlapping and was tantamount to snubbing the powers of local governments.
He said the small construction, map approval and other work came under the jurisdiction of the town and municipal committee and zones rather than LDA. He said two years had passed since the SC verdict, but there was no development on the matter or implementation of the order. Rasheed said this was despite the fact that he met with provincial law minister Rana Sana Ullah and also talked with the local government minister on two occasions. The opposition leader claimed he had even spoken to the chief secretary, but no one was ready to get the SC order implemented.
Syed Haroon Ahmed Sultan Bokhari agreed with most of the objections raised by the opposition leader, adding there was little doubt the people were suffering a host of problems. “The people will see a big change in three to four months,” he said. Subsequently, he formed a committee consisting of the LDA DG, Secretary Housing, Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency DG to probe the issues raised by the opposition leader.
Meanwhile, the treasury benches also managed to pass eight amendment bills despite the strong reservations of the opposition.
LDA starts work on new housing scheme
Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017
In this act, Section 3 shall be added and deemed to have been effective as of 18 April, 2012 when the Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Act 2012 came into force. It reads: “Notwithstanding the omission of Section 8 of the Act by The Punjab Environment Protection (Amendment) Act 2012, any rules, regulations or appointments made, orders passed, notifications issued, powers delegated, contacts entered into, proceedings taken, rights acquired, liabilities incurred, penalties imposed, rates, fee or charges levied or other thins done or actions taken under the provisions of said section, shall continue to have effect unless recalled withdrawn or cancelled”.
Punjab Ehtram-e-Ramazan (Amendment) Bill 2017
In this case, the amendment read: “Those who will violate, Sub-section 1 of Section 4 of Ehtram-e-Ramazan Ordinance 1981 (XXIII) which states that ... No proprietor, manager, servant, or other person in charge of a hotel, restaurant or canteen, or other public place, shall knowingly and willfully offers or serve or cause to be offered or served any eatable during fasting hours in the month of Ramazan to any person who, according to the tenets of Islam, is under an obligation to fast ... will be fined Rs50,000 in the amendment bill 2017.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2017.