Daily Times

The Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said the Rangers force will be called in if Islamabad’s illegally occupied official residences are not evacuated in time of one month.

During the hearing of the case the Additional Attorney General (AAG) Syed Nayyar Rizvi informed the two-member bench that police officials had illegally occupied the 140 flats in Sector G-6 of the federal capital.

The AAG further said that the rent amounting to Rs 350 million was yet to be paid.

AAG Syed Nayyar Rizvi further announced that if received, the rent payment will be donated for the construction of the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams.

“Both, electricity and gas supply were disconnected on the Islamabad High Court’s order,” the additional attorney general informed the court. “However, the Supreme Court’s orders are yet to be implemented five years after they were issued.”

The chief justice of Pakistan then questioned if government officers had the courage to illegally occupy official residences.

“What is the fault of those who are waiting?” Justice Nisar observed.

The top judge then noted that the law must be upheld. Furthermore, Secretary Housing & Works Dr Imran Zeb Khan reiterated that the police officers were illegally occupying the government flats. “We have been unable to evacuate the flats because of a shortage of manpower,” Dr Imran Zeb Khan said.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jan Muhammad, who had been earlier summoned by the apex court, appeared for the case’s hearing today. Addressing the capital’s top police officer, the chief justice said the IGP was responsible for the implementation of the Supreme Court’s order to evacuate the government residences.

“Police personnel are receiving rent amounting to Rs 350 million while they illegally occupy government residences. They are also stealing electricity and gas,” the chief justice said to the Islamabad IGP.

Justice Nisar further stated that the illegal occupation of the said government residences was unfair to those who were eligible, on merit, for allotment.

The top judge then ordered the housing secretary and Islamabad IGP to decide the procedure for evacuation of the government flats.

Giving a one-month deadline for the evacuation of the government residences, the bench then adjourned the hearing until August 31.

Published in Daily Times, July 12^th 2018.