LHC orders LDA to suspend amnesty for illegal housing schemes

LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Thursday directed the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to stop all kind of construction work in illegal housing societies established on the green land areas and also to immediately suspend the amnesty being given to them. Chief Justice Khan was hearing a petition against the construction of housing schemes on green land areas and greenbelts. The petitioner’s counsel pointed out that the LDA announced an amnesty scheme to regularise the illegal housing societies after payment of fine. He said a floodgate of corruption had been opened in the LDA in the name of the amnesty scheme. Chief Justice Khan rejected a water commission headed by retired justice Ali Akbar Qureshi, which proposed the amnesty for the illegal societies, and observed that apparently the purpose of the scheme was to protect the mafia. The LDA’s counsel said action could not be taken against the societies having stay orders issued from the courts in their favours. However, CJ Khan remarked that the LDA did not bother for a stay order when it wanted to take action against someone. He also expressed his surprise over the wholesale construction of the housing societies without an approval from the LDA. The CJ directed the LDA counsel to ensure no construction work was carried out in the housing societies set up on the green land areas and summoned the authority’s director general on Feb 2.