Illegal activity: Show cause notices issued to property owners

Businesses asked to shift operations from residential localities.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday served show cause notices to 24 property owners running commercial activities in residential localities in University Town.

The notices were issued by a division bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth while hearing a petition filed by Dr Fazl-e-Muqeem against the construction of Deewan-e-Khas restaurant.

The bench was informed owners of 24 such buildings who were running commercial activities in residential areas had been served notices. Counsel for Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), Barrister Amir said out of 340 such buildings, 170 had been shut down. These businesses have reportedly been shifted to Warsak Road.

The bench directed PDA’s director general and building control agency to collect more information on such activities and file a comprehensive report.



Meanwhile, the court adjourned a hearing into appeals filed by former Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lawmakers after they were convicted by a lower court.

Syed Aqil Shah and Sardar Ali were convicted for possessing fake degrees while Javed Tarakai was pronounced guilty for holding dual nationality. Besides a penalty, all three were also handed prison sentences.

The hearings were adjourned after Tarakai’s counsel could not appear before the court.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2013.