Court orders removal of illegal transport terminal

Civil society to file contempt plea against admin for violating directives

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench has ordered the immediate closure and stoppage of the operation of the illegal transport terminal ‘Hamrahi Travel’ which is disrupting the traffic flow near Soan Camp on GT Road.

Following the orders of the Rawalpindi Bench Judge Justice Jawwad Hassan, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) secretary declared the transport terminal illegal for running it without a license. It, however, failed to suspend its operation.

Consequently, the citizens and parents of those students who have been seriously affected by the traffic jam have decided to file a contempt of court petition against the district administration.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner has ordered the RTA to immediately remove all illegal transport terminals and has also sought a list including categories of all license holders and illegal transport bases operating across the district.

Read Transport services suspended on Gilgit route

On the petition of Shazia Yusuf Raja, High Court Bar Association Secretary General Advocate Shaukat Satti told the court that the said transport terminal is D-Class. “This is illegal and has no approval. It has been running for a long time by simply applying for a licence,” he argued.

“Due to this illegal base, the traffic along the Soan Camp near the High Court on GT Road is suspended throughout the day and the gridlocks are caused by the indiscriminate movement of the vehicles of the terminal,” he maintained and added that it was an offence to operate a transport terminal without approval.

In response to a query raised by the court, the RTA secretary admitted that the transport terminal was illegal. At this, the court expressed indignation besides ordering the immediate removal of the illegal terminal by way of an operation.

The civil society has announced it will file a contempt of court petition against the administration and the RTA secretary for violating the court orders.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2023.