Powerful people behind kiosk owners: mayor

IHC reserves judgments in kiosks demolition and mall sealing cases

ISLAMABAD: Powerful people are behind the kiosk owners making it difficult for the civic bodies to demolish these illegal structures, said Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz.

“A number of ministers also have kiosks in Islamabad, where they spend their evenings,” the mayor said.

He was responding to the questions of two-member bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb during hearing of case against demolition of kiosks.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reserved verdict in the case.

Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb remarked that owning kiosks was a profitable business to which Aziz said that there were other powerful people too behind the kiosk owners.

Justice Farooq said the mayor is clearly saying that when the go to demolish kiosks, phone calls from powerful people to stop the operation.

He added: “We live in a society where even those who want to work cannot work.”

Mayor told the court that none of kiosk holders was following the design which the municipal corporation provided. At this, the court remarked that Islamabad Traffic police was initially issued a letter to move away from green area while the operation began from kiosks. The court expressed that everyone should be treated equally.

The court said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) itself violated the master plan as well as Supreme Court’s (SC) orders by offering and allowing kiosks to set them up. Mayor replied that nobody was following the design and some had occupied four kanal land while others more than that.

The court asked mayor that what he would do to those who followed their pattern. Aziz replied that they would relocate them in compliance with existing method.

The court asked the petitioners’ lawyer: “Tell us a single case where administration’s design was followed and point out one which is in nonconforming use.”

The mayor interrupted and said that there were kiosks in green area which were according to the pattern provided by Islamabad Municipal Corporation (IMC). The court asked mayor that whether it was allowed to establish kiosks in any markaz to which he answered in negative.

Kiosks necessary for people: minister

Minister for Interior Ijaz Ahmad Shah on Thursday directed Capital Development Authority (CDA) to designate at least one place for a Kiosk (Khoka) in each sector of the federal capital to facilitate people.

He was chairing a meeting of an Anti-Encroachment Committee by Special Assistant to Prime Minister on National Health Services and Regulation, Zafar Mirza, members of parliament, CDA Chairman Aamer Ali Ahmed and representatives of Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) and Ministry of Interior.

The Minister directed that permission should be granted to set-up a same-designed Kiosk at designated place in each sector of Islamabad. Ijaz Shah said more than one place can be designated for Kiosk as per requirement and size of population.

With additional input by APP 

Published in The Express Tribune, August 2^nd, 2019.