LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has directed the secretary of urban development & public health engineering department and all eight development authorities in the province to conduct inspection of all multi-storey buildings in their jurisdiction to ensure provision of ramps, special toilets and other facilities for the disabled.

Justice Farrukh Irfan Khan was hearing a public interest petition moved by a Lahore-based disabled female lawyer, Sana Khurshid, seeking implementation of buildings laws for provision of ramps, lifts and special toilets at commercial and public buildings for disabled persons.

The petitioner’s counsel, Shaffaf Shahid Latif, contended before the court that despite previous directions issued by the court, in practical terms nothing had been done to implement the regulations. She argued that building plans/structure designs were being approved without taking into consideration the regulations. She said no inspection was being conducted by the field staff of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) on a regular basis to ensure the required quality of construction.

The LDA’s counsel undertook to submit a report of buildings situated within its jurisdiction by listing them along with availability of the required facilities therein under the regulations.

The judge adjourned further hearing till March 15 and sought reports from the provincial government and development authorities of Rawalpindi, Multan, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, and Sargodha. The judge also directed the registrar to consolidate another identical petition involving same question of law and facts for next hearing.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2019