Kot Lakhpat market: ‘Demolish the walls and let them sell’

Petitioners complain city government is impeding businesses.

LAHORE: Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday directed the Model Town assistant commissioner and market committee secretary to remove hurdles at entrances and exits to the Kot Lakhpat Fruit and Vegetable Market by demolishing the walls constructed by the city district government.

Justice Mohammad Ameer Bhatti was hearing a contempt of court petition seeking action against the market committee secretary and the Model Town assistant commissioner who, they said had built the walls to stop shopkeepers from running their businesses. Petitioners Chaudhary Yaseen and others submitted that they were running lawful businesses in the market. They said the LHC had already granted them a stay order to continue their businesses, but the market committee administration and the city district government was creating hurdles to their business. They said in an illegal operation officials had taken away their goods and constructed obstructing walls.

Market committee secretary Abdul Waheed and Model Town assistant commissioner Irfan Memon appeared before the court. Memon said he had not ordered the building of the walls. Waheed apologised and said the walls had been built following complaints of theft of goods including fruits and vegetables from the shops.

The judge disposed of the petition directing Waheed to demolish the walls and not to create any hurdle for the shopkeepers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2011.