Residential area: Chinese consulate poses security threat to neighbours

A wall has been built around the site, a service lane and a green belt in New Muslim Town

LAHORE: Lahore High Court sought replies on Monday from the federal and Punjab governments on a petition challenging the construction of a Chinese consulate in New Muslim Town – a residential area.

Rana Sajjad Siddique, a resident of the area, had filed the petition saying a property near his house had been ‘illegally’ rented out to the Chinese consulate for $40,000 per month.

Advocate Rana Zulfiqar Ali Khan, the petitioner’s counsel, said the government had begun building a security wall measuring 800 feet in length, 18 feet height and 16 inches thick around the property, on service road and the Canal Road. He said the security wall had not only surrounded the proposed consulate building but also the service road and the green belt.

He said the authorities were setting up a check post in the locality which could cause a terrible hassle and psychological damage to people using those roads and living in the area. The counsel said the check post was a constant source of threat to residents as it could present a potential target for terrorists.

He said people living in houses next to the proposed consulate were forced to keep their vehicles inside their houses as the streets leading to public roads had been converted into narrow passages. He said it had become impossible for anyone to drive a four-wheel vehicle out of their house.

Advocate Khan asked the court to order the demolition of the security wall and the check post outside the proposed site for the Chinese consulate. He said it violated the fundamental rights of citizens.

Justice Shahid Mubeen directed a deputy attorney general and an assistant advocate general to submit replies from the federal and provincial governments on Tuesday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2015.