Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Friday directed the Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi, Director PHATA and DG Co-operative housing society to remove encroachments/illegalities from two residential plots, located in sector A of the Media Town (Rawalpindi Press Club Housing Society) on Monday and to report to the court.
Justice Hassan while hearing the petitions of senior journalists Muhammad Asghar and Abdul Latif filed against denial and encroachment by the management of Media Town despite allotment and clearance of all the dues.
Justice Hassan directed the DC Rawalpindi, Director PHATA, DG Co-operative Housing Society and management committee to ensure the handing over the possession of the plots to the petitioners on Monday as the court will be adjourned only after the compliance of court orders.
The court had also observed that the court will initiate proceedings against the concerned government officials/officers for not handing over possession of the allotted plots to the petitioners as per provision of the relevant law.
According to advocate Saeed Yousuf Khan, counsel for the petitioners the management of media town deprived the senior journalists from their plots in order to facilitate an influential figure of PML-N and also produced the proof of the encroached land before the court.
Saeed also produced an investigation report of government of the Punjab’s Housing, Urban development and public health engineering department on Feb 6th regarding “probe into the matter regarding investigation of the layout plan of the house scheme “Rawalpindi press club cooperative housing society”.
The committee comprised, director (special planning) PHATA, convener, Headquarter Lahore, Director PHATA Region Rawalpindi and Deputy Director (P&D) PHATA Headquarter.
The committee said: “So in view of above, Rawalpindi Press Club Cooperative Housing Society is bound to give possession to the owners of plot # 334-A and 335-A as per approved LOP and is responsible for violation of approved layout plan of Rawalpindi Press Club Housing Society. Action may be taken against representatives of RPCCHS as per law.
Grievances of the complainants could be addressed by giving them physical possession in the same area as per approved LOP by removing encroachment/illegalities, if possible, or in another area of the scheme if prevailing rules and regulations allows. Accordingly, the requisite documents for construction may be handed over to complainants.
In light of the directions of the Hon’ble Lahore High Court, Lahore followed by the findings of the Probe Committee, director of PHATA, Region Rawalpindi is hereby directed to assist the competent authority in the demarcation of the plots in question.
Upon demarcation of plots, the concerned department/office/management committee shall ensure compliance with the court’s directions and address grievances of the petitioners by handing over possession of plot # 334-A and 335-A in Rawalpindi Press Club Cooperative Housing Society, Rawalpindi.
Copies of the probe committee’s report was sent to the secretary information and culture department Punjab, Regional Police Officer Punjab Police Rawalpindi, Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Rawalpindi and Director PHATA, Rawalpindi.
