Contempt of court: Army Housing Scheme sued by builders

Construction company files petition in SHC against army housing departments for not sticking to court orders.

KARACHI: A construction company has filed a contempt-of-court petition in the Sindh High Court against army housing departments for not sticking to court orders to maintain the status quo.

Park Way Engineering Company was awarded the contract for constructing six bungalows for the army housing project managed and controlled by the housing directorate, adjutant-general branch of the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi.

Nehal A Hashmi, the counsel for the petitioner, maintains that the company started work, investing millions of rupees. However, during construction, work was first stopped and later the company was asked to leave the site of the unfinished bungalows.

No reason was given and so millions of rupees invested by the petitioner went to waste, the counsel pleaded. The court, after the initial hearing, had ordered both parties to maintain the status quo but the respondent continued with the construction work, prompting the petitioner to file the contempt of court application.

During Monday’s hearing, the division bench perused a report by the SHC nazir who, after inspection, confirmed the allegation by the petitioner and applicant that the construction work on six bungalows was underway despite the orders.

After this report, Justice Mushir Alam issued show-cause notices on the charge of alleged contempt of court against the director-general of the army housing scheme, Malir Cantonment, Major-General Rafique Sabir, director Brigadier Rahimuddin and additional director Colonel Faheem to explain why they should not be proceeded against for showing disrespect for the court’s orders.

The hearing was adjourned.

Published in The Express Tribune December 14^th, 2010