Scramble for space: PHC orders police not to remove culture festival stalls

Petitioner says NoC was retracted at eleventh hour before the event was scheduled

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has stopped the city district government and police from removing stalls set up for a cultural festival at an under-construction hospital on Ring Road. It has also sought a reply from the district government in connection with the matter.

A divisional bench comprising Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth heard a petition filed on behalf of Media Links, a digital media monitoring service, by their counsel, Essa Khan, on Thursday.

During the hearing, Essa told the bench the district government had issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to his client to hold a 21-day cultural festival on a site where Benazir Bhutto Hospital is being constructed. “The festival was scheduled to be held on September 30,” he said. “The certificate was issued under an agreement.”

According to Essa, his clients had made all the necessary arrangements for the cultural festival. Stalls were set up and equipment was installed. A suitable security plan for the event had also been devised.

“However, the NOC was cancelled at the eleventh hour before the festival was held,” he said. “This is unlawful.”

Redressal

Justice Yahya Afridi asked the lawyer to identify the nature of the stalls and the equipment set up and installed on the ground. Essa informed the court most of the stalls displayed cultural artefacts; a circus had been set up on site.

“Most of these items had been transferred to Peshawar from Punjab,” he said.

According to Essa, the stalls and the equipment had cost the petitioners Rs1.8 million.

Essa informed the bench the police was harassing his clients and asking them to vacate the premises. He requested the court to put an end to this police harassment and directed the district government to give a green signal to the cultural festival.

After hearing the argument, the court stopped the police from removing the stalls till the next hearing. The court also directed the district government to submit a reply.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2015.