Stop commercial activities in Peshawar’s University Town by Nov 7: PHC

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Friday dismissed petitions of the educational institutions and private hospitals which had sought exemption from shifting from the residential areas of the University Town.

The court also directed the provincial government and Town-III administration to stop commercial activities in the University Town before November 7 or else face contempt of court proceedings.

A two-member bench comprising Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth and Justice Musarrat Hilali gave a last chance to the chief secretary, secretary local government, deputy commissioner Peshawar and Town-III administration to comply with court orders.

The bench ordered the provincial government and Town-III administration to stop commercial activities in the University Town by closing educational institutions, private hospitals and offices of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), including offices of UNHCR and other foreign NGOs before November 7 and submit progress report in the court.

The court asked the legal advisor of local government and additional advocate general to convey court directives to the officials concerned to implement the decision or else they would face contempt of court proceedings on the next hearing in case of non-compliance.

The court issued the directives in a contempt of court petition filed by Neelofar, Dr Khushnood Ali Khan and Sadia Sarwat Durrani, residents of University Town, through their lawyer Qazi Jawad Ihsanullah.

The petitioners sought  implementation of the PHC decision. The PHC in its detailed judgment had directed the Town-III and district administration to seal all the buildings, including houses, plazas and bungalows in the University Town that were built for residential purposes but being used for commercial activities.

The court observed that there was no exemption for any institutions running in the University Town. It asked the government to shift even the Foreign Office to other places of the city.Sabahuddin Khattak, legal advisor of Town Administration and Local Government Department, informed the bench that he had submitted progress report. However, he said the UNHCR officials claimed that they had exemption from the courts order under the UN laws.

The legal adviser said the police and other officials concerned were also not cooperating with the Town administration to get vacated the UNHCR and other foreign NGOs offices in compliance with the court orders. Justice Seth Waqar observed that the residents were exposed to terrorist activities due to presence of these foreign organisations and the government will have to shift it.