Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The new Tehsil Office Islamabad has been formaly made operational after shifting it to Sector I-10/3.

However, the revenue courts will continue functioning at F-8 Kutchehri premises in complaince of the IHC verdict, said Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue (ADCR) Rabia Aurangzeb, while talking to this scribe.

She said the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration had made special arrangments to facilitate the visitors at the new tehsil office in Islamabad.

On the directives of the Deputy Commissioner ICT Captain (R) Mushtaq Ahmed, public transport routes have been revised to ease the general public as mostly visitors belong to the rural areas of the city.

According to the notification, the public transport vain route No. 110 would now move from Khataar to Pirwadhai More via Bobari, Bhara kau, Malpur, Rawal Dam chowk, Faizabad, Pindora, CDA colony, I-10 Markaz to 1-10/3 Revenue Department Pirwadhai.

Likewise, vain route No. 121 will now ply from Hajj complex to Faisal Masjid via Kohinoor Mills, Carriage Factory, Pirwadhai More, Sector I-10/1, I-10/2 East Service Road I-10/3 Revenue Department to I-10 Markaz, I-9, H-9, G-9 Markaz, F-8 Markaz, Faisal Chowk and the Faisal Mosque.

Public transport vain route No. 133 will now move from Pirwadhai Morr to Golra via I-10/1, 1-10 Markaz, 1-10/3 Revenue Department, 1-10/2 Police Line, G-11/4, New Katchehri, F-11/1-2, Golra Morr Masjid, Noor Plaza and Golra Stop. The above three routes would likely to be funtional starting next week, the ICT administration sources told this scribe.

The ADCR said that around 1500 people daily visit the Tehsil office for registeries of land or other land and revenue issues. The Tehsil office in F-8 Katchehri was working at a congested place that was causing miseries to the visitors.

Rabia Aurangzeb said that the Trade Welfare Association of Islamabad had appreciated the initiative of shifting of the tehsil office as it would help reduce overcrowding at F-8 Katchehri.

She said the a public facilitation centre would also be established at the new Tehsil Office. The office was being renovated further, she added, saying that basic facilities including safe drinking water and sitting arrangments for the public were being ensured in the new building.

On the other side, a senior official of the Local Government Department Islamabad revealed that the current building of the Tehsil Office in F-8 was in a dilapidated condition and a survey report of the department had declared it vulnerable for use after the earthquake of 2005 as severe cracks had appeared in the structure.

But, the authority concerned had turned blind eyes toward this issue and was waiting for a tragedy to strike. It is pertinent to mention here that the revenue offices and courts were still operating in this dilapidated building despite of the warning from the LG department.

It may also be mentioned here that a single bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, on Tuesday, had directed the district administration to run the revenue courts in F-8 Katchehri to facilitate the applicants and lawyers as well.

The Islamabad Bar Association had challenged the move of the ICT Administration on which the court announced its verdict.

Syed Mohammad Tayyab Advocate, President Islamabad Bar Association, contended before the court that the lawyers and the public were suffering due to the shifting of the tehsil office.

The court agreed with the lawyers and Justice Farooq directed the administration to hold the revenue courts and tehsil office at F-8 throughout the week from 11:00am to 4:00pm. The IHC bench had already directed the district administration to make the registrar and the sub-registrar offices functional at the district courts.