RAWALPINDI, June 29: Justice Khawaja Imtiaz Ahmed of Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench on Friday set a deadline of July 4 for secretary ministry of defence and director general military lands to submit their replies in a petition seeking retrieval of children park land in Lalkurti from the possession of army.

Justice Ahmed was hearing the petition of Sheikh Ziaul Qamar, a resident of Lalkurti Rawalpindi, filed against the conversion of about 3-kanal land of the children park into apartments for soldiers.

The petitioner cited secretary ministry of defence, director general military lands and cantonments and chief executive officer cantonment board Rawalpindi as respondents.

Naseer Ahmed Tanoli, petitioner’s counsel told the court that children park situated on Indus Road-II of Lalkurti was the only recreational spot for the residents of Lalkurti – one of the oldest areas of Rawalpindi.

He said the park was part of the original site-plan of the area and it was a place reserved for get-together of the families where children used to play their favorite games.

According to him, the army authorities in April last year converted the park area into residential apartments for the soldiers serving at Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Rawalpindi and currently an eight-storey building was being constructed at the site.

He also pointed out that superior courts in various judgments had already declared that the park areas could not be used for any other purpose.

Cantonment board, in its written reply, however, said that according to their record the land in question was an open area and could, therefore, be utilised for the purpose.

Advocate Tanoli told Dawn that secretary defence and DG military lands had not filed any reply to the petition which was filed on April 24 last year. “In case they miss the final deadline, the court will proceed with the case without hearing them,” he added.