Walled City: LHC issues stay order on illegal construction

Mirza says the illegal construction also damaged a 200-year-old imambargah building.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court on Friday restrained the Punjab government from constructing buildings in the Walled City in violation of rules.

Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh issued the order after a petition was submitted by Asif Ali Mirza, a resident of Kashmiri Gate. Mirza said there had been rampant construction of high-rise buildings in the Walled City. He said his family had lived in the area for more than a hundred years.

He said his grandfather had allocated property for religious purposes and a registered trust deed had been executed by his father in 1985.

At present, the property was being used to hold Majalis-i-Aza. He said the building was in a residential area.

Mirza said a multi-storey plaza was being constructed on an adjacent property without a sanctioned site plan and without obtaining permission from the authorities concerned. He said the illegal construction had also damaged a 200-year-old imambargah building. He asked the court to direct the authorities to stop all such construction in the Walled City. The court adjourned the hearing till May 6 and sought replies from respondents.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.