MUZAFFARABAD:
The president of the Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and the Supreme Court of Cashmiro (AJKSC), Judge Raja Saeed Akram Khan ordered the municipal authorities of Mirpur on Tuesday that impose a prohibition of commercial construction in residential areas and immediately stopped the illegal invasion in Tierra Verde.
By chairing the procedures in the registration of the Branch of the Supreme Court in Mirpur, the president of the Supreme Court heard multiple cases, including one presented against the mayor of the city.
He expressed a great concern about the un controlled conversion of land for parks and green belts in commercial use, according to reports with the approval of officials of the Municipal Corporation and the Mirpur Development Authority (MDA).
Judge Akram expressed his discontent with the mayor and asked: “Why shouldn’t he be disqualified from his position due to this negligence, carelessness and illegal conduct?”
The Court rebuked the mayor and ordered him to present a detailed report that explains in which legal authority or provisions, commercial activities were allowed in areas of green belt, and why stores and other companies were allowed in such plots.
The court emphasized that these actions constituted a clear violation of the previous judicial orders and directives.
The mayor received instructions to stop and eliminate all unauthorized commercial activities and constructions established in green belts and residential plots without delay.
In addition, all the officials of the Municipal Corporation and the MDA were aimed at providing a detailed report on the total area assigned for View Point Park, specifying how much land it had invaded and the scope of the unauthorized construction carried out there.
The director of the MDA was prohibited specifically to approve the construction of other buildings or commercial structures, particularly in residential areas.
The Court affirmed that under no circumstances should commercial activity be allowed in areas designated for homes.
The court was also informed that some residential plots had illegally became commercial plots in violation of the norms and regulations.
Although the completed or in progress constructions in such plots will not be affected at this stage, the court strictly ordered that new commercial constructions are allowed recently converted, even if the assigned had construction permits issued by the authority.
It was observed that the commissioner and the attached commissioner of the Mirpur division had been previously summoned and reprimanded, with instructions to guarantee the elimination of all illegal constructions and invasions under their supervision.
The case was postponed for more procedures. Those present in the Court included the mayor of the Mirpur Municipal Corporation, Chaudhry Usman Khalid, Raja Humayun Razaq (Estate officer, Mirpur Municipal Corporation), Chaudhry Amjad Iqbal (Director Estate, MDA) and Mirza Kaleem (Official Administration, MDA).
