IHC reserves verdict on allotment of plots case
Court irked at CDA over failure to provide alternative plots to victims of land acquisition
Photo: File
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on Wednesday on the case pertaining to allotment of plots by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), that has been established on land acquired from local residents in certain sectors.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved the judgement after hearing the arguments of the respondents on non-payment of remuneration to the people the land had been acquired from.
The court expressed its annoyance on CDA over its failure to provide alternative plots to the victims of land acquisition.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ali Nawaz Awan and CDA representative appeared before the court.
The federal capital has become a classic example of elite culture, remarked Justice Minallah. He held the CDA responsible for the absence of governance according to law in Islamabad.
Even the coronavirus has not made us fearful of the Almighty's wrath, said the CJ. "What joke is this? We have forgotten that we have to appear before God," he remarked.
Justice Minallah observed that 1,000 people have been rendered homeless and have not yet been given alternative options.
"Is the Housing Foundation above the law that it does not comply with court orders?" he asked. "You let us know and we'll shut the court," an irked Justice Minallah remarked at the CDA.
Awan maintained that, "What the court said was true, but for the first time we are trying to bring improvement".
To this, Justice Minallah remarked that the court only wants the elite culture to end. "Judges, bureaucrats, journalists - all are given plots in Islamabad, but no plots are provided to those from whom land is acquired," noted the CJ.
The court reserved its verdict on the petition filed by those evicted from different sectors in Islamabad and adjourned the hearing.
In the previous hearing of the case, the court had restricted the FGEHA and the CDA from allocating any further plots and had ruled that it can only be done through an auction until the final verdict of the case.
The IHC had ruled that the counsels could not justify the allotment of plots to some privileged people without compensating those who were forced to vacate the land and have been awaiting compensation for the past six decades.
Justice Minallah had said that many have died in the hope of receiving compensation and termed it a classic example of the violation of fundamental human rights.
Besides, the court had also directed the federal government and the CDA to act on the recommendations put forth by the commission, comprising elected representatives.
'Contempt of court'
Meanwhile, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz's lawyer Kashif Malik filed a contempt of court petition against the federal government.
The petition argues that the local government commission issued a notice despite court orders. The petition claims that the court had annulled the notification issued by the government and the case was pending in the court, but the commission scheduled a meeting for today (Wednesday), with an inquiry against the mayor on the agenda.
In the petition, the mayor claims that he was informed about the meeting at 6pm on Tuesday through a WhatsApp message. He prayed to the court to refrain the commission from convening today.
The petitioner has further requested the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the federal government.
The IHC had annulled the 90-day suspension notification issued by the government on allegations of corruption and had directed for Aziz to be reinstated on his post as the mayor.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) reserved its verdict on Wednesday on the case pertaining to allotment of plots by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA), that has been established on land acquired from local residents in certain sectors.
IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved the judgement after hearing the arguments of the respondents on non-payment of remuneration to the people the land had been acquired from.
The court expressed its annoyance on CDA over its failure to provide alternative plots to the victims of land acquisition.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MNA Ali Nawaz Awan and CDA representative appeared before the court.
The federal capital has become a classic example of elite culture, remarked Justice Minallah. He held the CDA responsible for the absence of governance according to law in Islamabad.
Even the coronavirus has not made us fearful of the Almighty's wrath, said the CJ. "What joke is this? We have forgotten that we have to appear before God," he remarked.
Justice Minallah observed that 1,000 people have been rendered homeless and have not yet been given alternative options.
"Is the Housing Foundation above the law that it does not comply with court orders?" he asked. "You let us know and we'll shut the court," an irked Justice Minallah remarked at the CDA.
Awan maintained that, "What the court said was true, but for the first time we are trying to bring improvement".
To this, Justice Minallah remarked that the court only wants the elite culture to end. "Judges, bureaucrats, journalists - all are given plots in Islamabad, but no plots are provided to those from whom land is acquired," noted the CJ.
The court reserved its verdict on the petition filed by those evicted from different sectors in Islamabad and adjourned the hearing.
In the previous hearing of the case, the court had restricted the FGEHA and the CDA from allocating any further plots and had ruled that it can only be done through an auction until the final verdict of the case.
The IHC had ruled that the counsels could not justify the allotment of plots to some privileged people without compensating those who were forced to vacate the land and have been awaiting compensation for the past six decades.
Justice Minallah had said that many have died in the hope of receiving compensation and termed it a classic example of the violation of fundamental human rights.
Besides, the court had also directed the federal government and the CDA to act on the recommendations put forth by the commission, comprising elected representatives.
'Contempt of court'
Meanwhile, Islamabad Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz's lawyer Kashif Malik filed a contempt of court petition against the federal government.
The petition argues that the local government commission issued a notice despite court orders. The petition claims that the court had annulled the notification issued by the government and the case was pending in the court, but the commission scheduled a meeting for today (Wednesday), with an inquiry against the mayor on the agenda.
In the petition, the mayor claims that he was informed about the meeting at 6pm on Tuesday through a WhatsApp message. He prayed to the court to refrain the commission from convening today.
The petitioner has further requested the court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the federal government.
The IHC had annulled the 90-day suspension notification issued by the government on allegations of corruption and had directed for Aziz to be reinstated on his post as the mayor.