SWABI: Owners of the demolished Abseen hotel here on Sunday complained that the district administration razed the structure despite a case about the property was pending in court and without serving them a vacation notice.

The district administration demolished the hotel on Friday, as according to the officials, it was built on the land of Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project (GBHP).

The owners, including Malik Abdur Rahim, Dil Nawz Khan, Malik Mohammad Nawaz Khan, and Mohammad Younas, the PTI Topi tehsil naib nazim, were addressing a press conference in Topi city.

On the occasion, nazim Younas condemned the district administration’s action and rejected the claim of GBHP officials that the hotel land belonged to Ghazi Barotha power project.

He also condemned arrest of the four owners of the hotel, warning that if the owners did not get justice they would have no option but to block Tarbela-Topi road.

The owners said they would file a writ petition soon against the officials of GBHP and district administration, adding they would hire an engineer to finalise the estimated cost of the demolished hotel.

Abdur Rahim said beside arrest of four owners, 29 employees of the hotel were also taken into custody by police. He said the hotel area neither belonged to Ghazi Barotha nor Tarbela Dam.

Another owner, Malik Nawaz said the land on which the hotel stood did not belong to Ghazi Barotha Dam, showing documentary proof to the reporters.

Meanwhile, Swabi Deputy Commissioner Matiullah Khan said his administration acted on the request of Ghazi Barotha Dam authorities as officials had served several notices to the hotel owners to vacate the building, but to no avail. He, however, said the hotel owners had the right to move court.

GBHP officials said the final notice to the hotel owners was served on Jan 19 duly signed by Engr Masood Akhtar, asking them to vacate the illegally occupied Wapda land as it (hotel) posed a great security threat to the vital national installations of GBHP/Tarbela Dam.

Published in Dawn, May 30th, 2016