PHOTO: IHC WEBSITE
ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday summoned secretary interior and officials of Capital Development Authority (CDA), Islamabad Capital Territory Administration and police in a petition against forced eviction from slums in the capital.
The single-member bench comprising Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui resumed hearing into the case filed by Azizur Rehman, a resident of Sector I-10.
The court directed secretary interior, CDA chairman, Islamabad IGP, and chief commissioner to appear in person before court on June 4.
Advocate Farrukh Dall, counsel for one of the petitioners, argued that katchi abadis should be legalised as it was the responsibility of the state to provide shelter to the people.
He maintained that the government had declared slums in the capital as legal in 1992 and 1993 but later in 1997, the cabinet division declared only 10 out of 34 katchi abadis as legal.
He said that on the directives of IHC, the CDA had planned to launch an operation against slums and people were being forcefully evicted from their houses.
Justice Siddiqui said that no slums in the capital could be legalised as per the law. He said that officials of relevant departments were facilitating growth of illegal structures.
While issuing notices to the respondents, the court adjourned the case till June 4.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2015.
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