House collapse: Police register case on LDA complaint

Police have registered a case concerning Friday’s botched demolition operation in which four labourers were killed.

LAHORE: Johar Town police have registered a case against five Lahore Development Authority (LDA) officials, as well as the building owner and his son, concerning Friday’s botched demolition operation in which four labourers were killed. The FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint moved by LDA Director (Administration) Khalid Pervez, against the LDA chief engineer, director (town planning), director (estate management), director (buildings) and deputy director (buildings), the building’s owner, Shahid Mehmood, his son Fazal, and eight unidentified men under Sections 322 (causing death through criminal recklessness), 447 (trespass), 353 (assault on public servants) and 186 (obstructing public servants) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Mehmood petitioned the High Court for the registration of an FIR on his complaint. Pervez said the owner’s attempts to stop the demolition had “created pandemonium amongst the workers” and “confusion amongst the officers”, said Sub Inspector Imtiaz Ahmad. He said that the police would identify who had built the building, as Mehmood was not its original owner.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 26^th,  2011.