Illegal construction of chambers: Tussle between lawyers, traders enters day two

CDA will never allow construction in the playground, spokesperson .

ISLAMABAD:

A tussle between lawyers and traders over the construction of chambers by the legal fraternity in a football ground in the F-8 Markaz continued on the second day.

The police registered two FIRs against both the parties on Thursday.

A dispute between traders of the F-8 Markaz and the legal fraternity arose on February 13, when the lawyers started construction of 35 chambers inside the ground. The traders, however, called the Enforcement Directorate of the Capital Development Authority (CAD) to stop them.

This drew the ire of the legal fraternity, who clashed with the traders, leaving three people injured.

On the complaint of the F-8 Markaz Trader Welfare Association President Qamar Zaman Abbasi, the police registered an FIR against more than 50 lawyers for damaging commercial property and resorting to aerial fire. However, the lawyers approached the same police station, levelling the same charges against the traders. The police, on the complaint of lawyers, also lodged a case against the traders.

Meanwhile, the lawyers resumed construction of chambers at the playground, claiming that they have been issued the no objection certificate (NOC) by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).



President District Bar Association Dr Syed Anwar claimed that the deputy commissioner (DC) Islamabad on Wednesday issued the NOC for constructing chambers there.

DC Islamabad Amir Ahmed however said that it was the discretion of the CDA to give permission for such a construction because it fell with in their purview.

“The Islamabad administration has only issued the NOC, which is subjected to scrutiny by the CDA,” he said.

A senior police officer requesting anonymity told The Express Tribune that they have requested the CDA to seal the ground in order to avoid any untoward incident in the future.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had passed a judgement against any construction at public places including parks and play grounds.

CDA Spokesperson Ramzan Sajid said that the civic agency will never allow the lawyers to construct chambers in the football ground. “The land has been specified for the football ground and if the lawyers started construction, the Enforcement Directorate of the CDA will definitely take action,” he added.

Meanwhile, the traders at the F-8 Markez also staged a protest demonstration. Over hundreds of traders from across the city under the banner of the Traders Action Committee (TAC) assembled at the F-8 Markaz and raised slogans against the lawyers calling them the biggest encroachers.

“How can the lawyers construct their chambers at a playground despite the fact that the CDA has designated the land as public property,” Secretary General TAC Kashif Chaudhry said.

The traders warned to continue their protest against the construction if the CDA failed to take action against it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 15^th, 2013.