September 27, 2006	Wednesday	Ramazan 3, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Sept 26: The Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a committee comprising two judges of the Lahore High Court to arrange and monitor re-construction of the demolished western wing of the Lahore High Court in its original historical design.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar and Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad, while hearing two separate petitions against the demolition, made it clear that architectural features and design of this wing of the building should be similar to the rest of the 117-year-old building protected under the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance, 1985.

Former president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association Ahmed Awais and chairperson of the Heritage Committee of the Institute of Architects of Pakistan (IAP) Fauzia Qureshi have challenged the LHC’s administrative decision to demolish the building. They have sought annulment of the LHC order favouring demolition.

The Supreme Court empowered the committee to consult civil and architectural experts for restoration of the building in its historical design. It, however, observed that the order should not be used as precedence in any other case.

The western wing of the high court was demolished to construct another eight courtrooms without inviting public comments on the proposed new construction.

Advocate General Punjab Chaudhry Aftab Iqbal on Tuesday submitted a report before the apex court which said that the western wing of the LHC building was in a dilapidated condition; its corridors were about to collapse. Realising the situation, the high court administration decided to demolish this part despite opposition by the custodian of cultural heritage.

Alterations were made in the original structure in 1974 and 1999 also but nobody raised objection at that time, the AG Punjab said, adding that the Punjab government had been offered billions of rupees for construction of a commercial plaza in place of the demolished building site but the government rejected the offer keeping in view the historical significance of the building.

He said a special allocation of Rs49.328 million had been made by the provincial government for re-construction of the building in its original design.

Earlier, Aitzaz Ahsan argued on behalf of petitioner Fauzia Qureshi that Sections 5 and 8 of the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Act 1985 had flagrantly been violated by the LHC administration.