Daily Times

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed the provincial authorities to remove flaws from the ordinance finalised for a high-level committee regarding the housing societies.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan heard the petition challenging the construction of 557 housing societies on the greenbelts.

The Punjab chief secretary told the court that the government will prepare an ordinance for the constitution of a high-level committee for the housing societies. He said that PC-1 will be issued for the establishment of the graveyard this year.

The court directed him to remove flaws from the ordinance for the societies. The judge directed the government lawyer to assist the court on the matter related to the allotment of plots multiple times in the housing societies. The amicus curiae told the court that there is the law for taking action against the allotment of a plot more than one time by a housing society. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the report compiled by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) chairman was against the facts. The chief justice LHC remarked that the law would be activated if the report was against the facts. He maintained that the government should not leave a flaw in the ordinance that would benefit the mafia. The LHC chief justice directed authorities to report the court after reviewing the legal aspects of the ordinance.

He remarked that the plots allotted by private societies should be registered. Moreover, a list was submitted to the high court which provides the names of approved housing societies in accordance with the Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs).

The court summoned a report regarding the establishment of a graveyard around Lahore city. The high court also summoned the terms of reference (ToRs) of the government committee for the housing societies.

The hearing was adjourned till April 14.