Lawlessness intolerable: SC

LAHORE - Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday of the Supreme Court Tuesday observed lawlessness would not be tolerated at any costs in the country. The court fully supports development in the country and construction of tall buildings as a part of it but that must be within the framework of law and the rules, said Justice Ramday heading a full bench hearing of the hundreds of petitions relating to the illegally constructed and under-construction sky-rise buildings, plazas and other commercial sites in the City.
Justice Fakir Muhammad Khokhar and Justice Syed Sakhi Hussain Bokhari are the other members of the bench, which seized of the matter over three years ago after one Farooq Hamid had moved a petition to this court through Advocate Mansoor Ali Shah on being aggrieved of the construction of a plaza adjacent to his house in Gulberg.
The bench has given two weeks time to the Punjab government to come up with a concrete proposal before it to eliminate practice of illegalities and perversion of law about the construction of commercial sites throughout the province. Taking a very serious view of the illegal, substandard construction that too without proper infrastructure whereof the citizens are exposed to serious hazards, the court drew attention of provincial authorities for constitution of an authority in Punjab on the same pattern of an authority in Karachi to exclusively deal with the development of commercial sites. Justice Ramday mentioned with pain the loss of lives due to inadequate facilities in a plaza in Gujranwala in the recent past and said, those who are violating law and playing life of the innocent would be taught a strict lesson.
“We also fear the unlawfully constructed tall buildings emerging as another cooperative scam after owners of the plazas would run away selling out un-approved storey and floors of the buildings to the poor citizens,” Justice Ramday observed terming it another concern of the court and demanded of the government to legislate in this behalf.
In pursuance of the court order passed Monday, Punjab Chief Secretary Javed Mahmood, Director General Lahore Development Authority (LDA), Shahid Mahmood along Principal Legal Adviser LDA Salman Butt and others appeared last day. Nazim City could not appear for being out of the country.