The imposition of an entry fee for the New Blue Area in the federal capital was challenged before the Islamabad High Court on Wednesday, with a petition seeking to declare the fee charge illegal and null and void.
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir is scheduled to hear the petition tomorrow on Thursday.
Advocate Muhammad Tayyib filed the petition through lawyers Zohaib Gondal, Hazrat Younis, and Muhammad Saeed Dar. The petition has named the Secretary Interior, Chief Commissioner, and Administrator MCI as respondents.
The petition contends that commercial markets, corporate headquarters, and restaurants are located in the New Blue Area. The MCI is charging a fee of Rs. 100 for the use of the service road in the New Blue Area.
The petitioner argued that this is not a parking fee but a charge being levied on anyone who uses the service road. The MCI is not providing any facility or service in exchange for this charge.
The petition further stated that charging an entry fee for the New Blue Area is a violation of superior court decisions. The court has been requested to declare the MCI’s fee charge illegal and null and void.
Promotion case
A division bench of the Islamabad High Court issued notices to the Secretary of Finance and the Director General of National Savings in a contempt of court petition filed over alleged non-compliance with a judicial decision regarding promotions in National Savings.
The division bench comprising Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro and Justice Muhammad Asif directed the respondents to submit their replies explaining why the court’s decision has not been implemented.
During the proceedings, the petitioner argued that the court had issued directions in January regarding the National Savings promotion matter and had instructed that a decision be made within two months. Despite the court order, Secretary Finance Imdadullah Bosal and DG National Savings Hamid Raza failed to decide the matter, the counsel submitted.
The counsel requested the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the Secretary Finance and the DG National Savings. The court issued notices seeking their responses and adjourned further hearing of the case until June 23.