MURREE, July 18: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench on Friday issued notices to the Punjab government, Privatization Commission, district government, Rawalpindi, Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), Murree, a construction firm and others to respond to a petition challenging the legality of a mega housing scheme in the jurisdiction of the TMA.

Saima Ameen Khawaja and others filed a constitutional petition with the LHC Rawalpindi bench seeking suspension of work on the construction of Cecil Silver Apartments. The petitioners were represented by advocate Athar Minallah.

The court issued notices to all the 23 respondents directing them to furnish their reply on July 24.

The petitioners were of the view that the mega project was being carried out with the connivance of the authorities concerned in violation of the construction laws. They also gave references of the reports and the studies prepared by the national and international organizations on the flaws and faults of heavy construction in Murree.

The petition said the mega housing scheme had been launched despite the fact that a high level committee report had recommended that the already fragile and vulnerable topography of Murree could not afford the proposed multi-storey construction.

The petition said the Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool during his visit to Murree in August 2002 had placed a ban on all kinds of constructions in the town unless the authorities approved the design and material. It said the chairman task force and advisor to the Punjab chief minister for environment and beautification Sardar Azam Rasheed during his recent visit to Murree had also banned all kinds of construction works in Murree.