Over two dozen illegal court structures razed

Anti-encroachment drive continues in F-8 Kutcheri

ISLAMABAD:

The anti-encroachment operation on directions of the Supreme Court (SC) continued on Saturday under the supervision of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Registrar Sajid Baloch. The capital city civic authorities razed more than two dozen illegal extensions of courts in F-8 Kutcheri in Islamabad.

The illegal structures on district kutcheri premises were built in violation of building by-laws and encroaching upon public and private property, said Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials. Last month, the authority demolished five courts that were constructed on commercial plots.

The registrar had directed CDA to raze all unauthorised structures in the kutcheri except lawyers’ chambers as they were granted time by the Supreme Court (SC) to vacate voluntarily in two months.

CDA officials said more than two dozen courts established in a private building were issued notices before they were demolished. They added that illegal establishments and extended verandas of eight blocks built in violation of building by-laws in the district kutcheri were also demolished during the anti-encroachment operation.

Sources in the court administration said after this demolition most judges would have no space to hold case hearings. They added that judges working were also affected during Friday’s operation as they were present. The demolition work will continue on Sunday (today) as well.

Two weeks earlier, the IHC registrar had informed the apex court that illegal courts built on commercial plots on district kutcheri, the premises had been demolished. In a report submitted to the SC in the lawyers’ illegal chambers demolition case, the IHC registrar said that a forensic audit and inquiry report had been sought to determine those responsible for allowing illegal construction.

The IHC has also sought an inquiry report regarding the stay order against the demolition of illegal chambers. The report said that the illegal courts had been razed but illegal chambers at that point still existed.

The SC had given a deadline of two months after which CDA would be free to conduct action. Earlier, the apex court had ordered the demolition of illegal courts in the football ground and kutcheri on March 2. However, Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) filed a review petition in the SC.

The report highlighted that there were 286 chambers on the football ground. The chambers were built on green areas, streets, public car parking, and commercial plots. The Islamabad administration declared the chambers a security risk after the terrorism incident in 2014. However, the illegal construction was aided by the stay orders of local courts.

The IHC abrogated all stay orders and ordered an inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 25^th, 2021.