Early market closure: IHC directs deputy commissioner to submit notification
Petitioner claims authorities lack notification to implement order.
Ahmed appeared before the court but failed to produce the notification. PHOTO: PPI/ FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Islamabad deputy commissioner to produce a copy of a government’s notification ordering early market and shop closures in the capital and Punjab.
While taking up a petition challenging the government’s decision to close markets and shops in Islamabad Capital Territory and Punjab by 8pm, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed acting Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Ahmed to produce the notification and inform the court under which law shops and markets were being closed early.
Ahmed appeared before the court but failed to produce the notification, prompting the judge to issue an order to produce it on Tuesday (today).
The petition was filed by Al-Safa Golden Company, the parent company of Safa Gold Mall in F-7 Markaz, through its counsel Ateequr Rehman Siddiqui.
As part of an energy conservation plan, the government had ordered shops, marriage halls and restaurants in Islamabad and Punjab to shut down at 8pm, 10pm and 11pm respectively. To implement the order, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has launched operations in Islamabad to force traders to abide by the timings while also arresting several traders for violating the order.
The petitioner’s counsel said that a few days back, the energy committee of the cabinet took numerous decisions including the one under which these early closures were ordered.
Siddiqui stated that following the verbal order of the prime minister, who chaired the meeting, ICT Administration and police officials went to his client’s mall on a daily basis, forcing and intimidating shop owners to shut down early, which he argued was illegally.
He said that when the ICT officials are requested to provide the notification under which early closure is being enforced, they fail to do so and instead harass traders.
The petitioner’s counsel said markets and shopping plazas in all big cities of Pakistan were closing at ‘normal’ timings, while traders in Islamabad were being forced to close down by 8pm.
The petitioner has requested that the court restrains the ICT Administration from harassing traders and allows them to keep shops and other businesses open past 8pm.
On April 28, all markets and shopping centres across Islamabad were closed as traders observed a complete shutter-down strike against the forceful implementation of the government decision to close shops early.
The case will be taken up again on Tuesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2015.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday directed the Islamabad deputy commissioner to produce a copy of a government’s notification ordering early market and shop closures in the capital and Punjab.
While taking up a petition challenging the government’s decision to close markets and shops in Islamabad Capital Territory and Punjab by 8pm, IHC Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui directed acting Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Mushtaq Ahmed to produce the notification and inform the court under which law shops and markets were being closed early.
Ahmed appeared before the court but failed to produce the notification, prompting the judge to issue an order to produce it on Tuesday (today).
The petition was filed by Al-Safa Golden Company, the parent company of Safa Gold Mall in F-7 Markaz, through its counsel Ateequr Rehman Siddiqui.
As part of an energy conservation plan, the government had ordered shops, marriage halls and restaurants in Islamabad and Punjab to shut down at 8pm, 10pm and 11pm respectively. To implement the order, the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration has launched operations in Islamabad to force traders to abide by the timings while also arresting several traders for violating the order.
The petitioner’s counsel said that a few days back, the energy committee of the cabinet took numerous decisions including the one under which these early closures were ordered.
Siddiqui stated that following the verbal order of the prime minister, who chaired the meeting, ICT Administration and police officials went to his client’s mall on a daily basis, forcing and intimidating shop owners to shut down early, which he argued was illegally.
He said that when the ICT officials are requested to provide the notification under which early closure is being enforced, they fail to do so and instead harass traders.
The petitioner’s counsel said markets and shopping plazas in all big cities of Pakistan were closing at ‘normal’ timings, while traders in Islamabad were being forced to close down by 8pm.
The petitioner has requested that the court restrains the ICT Administration from harassing traders and allows them to keep shops and other businesses open past 8pm.
On April 28, all markets and shopping centres across Islamabad were closed as traders observed a complete shutter-down strike against the forceful implementation of the government decision to close shops early.
The case will be taken up again on Tuesday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, May 5th, 2015.