Policemen given relief

Court restores stay order on vacation of G-6 flats.

ISLAMABAD:

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday restored its stay order halting vacation of G-6 flats which have been occupied by police officials.

Justice Riaz Ahmed Khan heard the petition filed by more than 35 people, seeking allotment of the “illegally” occupied flats in sector G-6/1.

During the hearing on Monday, Afrasiab Khattak who is representing the petitioners, said that on August 17 all police officials named were deputed at different places and could not appear in court.

He said that the families of officials living in the flats would be greatly disturbed, if they were asked to move.

The stay order was granted after 35 police official had moved the court seeking the allotment of the flats. The petitioners had maintained that they are living in the flats since the Lal Masjid operation.

They maintained that the high ups of Estate Office had assured in 2007 that flats would be allotted to them, which did not happen afterwards. Khattak added that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had also issued orders in their favour in 2007 but the authorities are were still trying to take move these police officials out of the government flats.

The petitioners said that they were deputed in the capital during the Lal Masjid attack in 2007 and it was their right to get accommodation in Islamabad along with their family members.

Earlier on August 17, the stay order was vacated because none of the petitioners appeared in the court during the proceedings.

A Capital Development Authority official told the court that the authority constructed 200 flats at G-6/1, costing Rs105 million for the Ministry of Housing and Works. These flats, according to the official, were “unlawfully” taken over by police officials before they were handed over to the Estate Office.

He said the flats were offered to police officials temporarily after the 2005 earthquake and during the Lal Masjid operation. He told the court that the occupation of the flats was illegal and requested the court to dismiss the petition or vacate the stay orders.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2011.