Business protest: Traders storm Liberty after Alfateh shut down
Some allege owner joining PTI was the reason behind closure.
LAHORE:
Hundreds of traders belonging to all the major traders’ associations protested against Lahore Development Authority (LDA) for sealing Alfateh store and blocked the Liberty roundabout for over four hours on Friday.
The protest started after Friday prayers at around 2 pm with hundreds of Liberty Market traders accompanied by presidents of both Liberty Market traders association, the Anjuman Tajiran Lahore and the Anjuman Tajiran Pakistan. The protestors burnt tyres, chanted slogan against the LDA and the PML-N government and blocked the Liberty roundabout.
Earlier on Friday, the staff of the Town Planning Wing of the LDA had sealed Alfateh located in Commercial Zone, Gulberg III, claiming a number of violations of building by-laws and failed to remove the constructions raised against the sanctioned plan despite the fact that notices in this regard had repeatedly been served on the owners.
The traders said that since the owner of Alfateh, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, had joined PTI three days back the government had responded by unfairly sealing off his plaza.
A statement issued by the LDA, said the High Rise Commission, appointed by the Supreme Court, had directed that the unauthorised constructions of the store be demolished.
LDA officials claimed the following irregularities;
1. The store management had illegally extended the basements under the front arcades and included the space into the store. This, the LDA said, is a non-compoundable violation. The construction had to be removed.
2. The basement had been extended to the adjacent plazas situated on Property No 52 and 53 in violation of the sanctioned plan and without the approval of LDA.
3. A projection of the building from the first to the top floor falls on the road side. The projection has to be removed.
4. A steel structure projection of the balcony and electric sub-station in the rear balcony towards the road has to be removed.
5. Arcades have been raised on the front side which have to be brought to the sanctioned level.
6. The arcade on the rear side and the generator have to be removed.
The press release said that after fires a few years ago causing huge losses, the LDA had served many notices on the owners regarding violations of building by-laws but to no avail. The LDA, it said, had taken legal action by sealing the property.
Lahore Commissioner Jawad Raffique Malik arrived at the protest at around 6 pm to address the situation. Malik expressed his displeasure over the traders breaking the barrier on Thursday (the traders had been protesting the new parking arrangement which they claimed had led to a loss in their business). He assured the traders that he would look into the matter.
The store was later opened as traders condemned LDA’s action which they said was illegal.
Anjuman Tajiran Lahore president Mian Tariq told The Express Tribune that the LDA action of closing the store was illegal. He said they did not approve of the action taken by some traders of breaking barriers while protesting against parking laws. He said the LDA should have served a notice to the plaza, giving them time either to rectify the problem or prepare for legal remedy. He said the commissioner would meet the traders on Saturday.
Anjuman Tajiran Lahore general secretary Haji Tahir Naveed said they were protesting on Thursday against new parking arrangements which had greatly damaged their businesses. He said during the protest a group of traders had damaged some barriers. He said the traffic police had deployed a unit of wardens and a lifter who fined motorists who parked anywhere other than at the Park and Ride Plaza.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, owner of Alfateh Store, claimed that his affiliation with the PTI was the reason for LDA action. Later on he refused comment, saying that the matter had been resolved. He did, however, say that LDA officials had never sent him a notice in this regard and that there was no legal reason for closing the plaza.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2012.
Hundreds of traders belonging to all the major traders’ associations protested against Lahore Development Authority (LDA) for sealing Alfateh store and blocked the Liberty roundabout for over four hours on Friday.
The protest started after Friday prayers at around 2 pm with hundreds of Liberty Market traders accompanied by presidents of both Liberty Market traders association, the Anjuman Tajiran Lahore and the Anjuman Tajiran Pakistan. The protestors burnt tyres, chanted slogan against the LDA and the PML-N government and blocked the Liberty roundabout.
Earlier on Friday, the staff of the Town Planning Wing of the LDA had sealed Alfateh located in Commercial Zone, Gulberg III, claiming a number of violations of building by-laws and failed to remove the constructions raised against the sanctioned plan despite the fact that notices in this regard had repeatedly been served on the owners.
The traders said that since the owner of Alfateh, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, had joined PTI three days back the government had responded by unfairly sealing off his plaza.
A statement issued by the LDA, said the High Rise Commission, appointed by the Supreme Court, had directed that the unauthorised constructions of the store be demolished.
LDA officials claimed the following irregularities;
1. The store management had illegally extended the basements under the front arcades and included the space into the store. This, the LDA said, is a non-compoundable violation. The construction had to be removed.
2. The basement had been extended to the adjacent plazas situated on Property No 52 and 53 in violation of the sanctioned plan and without the approval of LDA.
3. A projection of the building from the first to the top floor falls on the road side. The projection has to be removed.
4. A steel structure projection of the balcony and electric sub-station in the rear balcony towards the road has to be removed.
5. Arcades have been raised on the front side which have to be brought to the sanctioned level.
6. The arcade on the rear side and the generator have to be removed.
The press release said that after fires a few years ago causing huge losses, the LDA had served many notices on the owners regarding violations of building by-laws but to no avail. The LDA, it said, had taken legal action by sealing the property.
Lahore Commissioner Jawad Raffique Malik arrived at the protest at around 6 pm to address the situation. Malik expressed his displeasure over the traders breaking the barrier on Thursday (the traders had been protesting the new parking arrangement which they claimed had led to a loss in their business). He assured the traders that he would look into the matter.
The store was later opened as traders condemned LDA’s action which they said was illegal.
Anjuman Tajiran Lahore president Mian Tariq told The Express Tribune that the LDA action of closing the store was illegal. He said they did not approve of the action taken by some traders of breaking barriers while protesting against parking laws. He said the LDA should have served a notice to the plaza, giving them time either to rectify the problem or prepare for legal remedy. He said the commissioner would meet the traders on Saturday.
Anjuman Tajiran Lahore general secretary Haji Tahir Naveed said they were protesting on Thursday against new parking arrangements which had greatly damaged their businesses. He said during the protest a group of traders had damaged some barriers. He said the traffic police had deployed a unit of wardens and a lifter who fined motorists who parked anywhere other than at the Park and Ride Plaza.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, owner of Alfateh Store, claimed that his affiliation with the PTI was the reason for LDA action. Later on he refused comment, saying that the matter had been resolved. He did, however, say that LDA officials had never sent him a notice in this regard and that there was no legal reason for closing the plaza.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 14th, 2012.