LAHORE: The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) on Friday started restoration to its original condition of a public park in Gulberg situated in front of the residence of defunct finance minister Ishaq Dar.

The authority had recently widened the road opposite Mr Dar’s house reportedly to resolve parking problems and encroached on the park land in the process.

According to an LDA official, the authority was simply implementing the Supreme Court order to restore the park to its original shape. He vowed to recover money incurred on the restoration from Mr Dar, as directed by the apex court.

About expenses on the park restoration, the officials said they should not go beyond Rs1 million, as per initial estimates. The work involves digging of road, removal of concrete median and subsequent plantation.

“The minister, obviously, has to foot the bill under the court order and he naturally would,” says another official involved in the process.

Some residents in the neighbourhood of Hajvery House (Mr Dar’s home) in H Block of Gulberg III are, however, not satisfied with the court’s order. They said the ruling party leader should also be made to pay for the earlier expenses incurred on the road expansion. The LDA chief had informed the court on Thursday that the road expansion had cost Rs2m.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice of a media report about the partial encroachment of the park, which the LDA did to convert a single road into dual passage reportedly to facilitate those visiting the defunct minister.

The court had ordered the LDA director general to restore the park within 10 days either at his own expense or the minister’s.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2018