LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought final arguments on a petition challenging the construction of a multi-storey annexe of the chief minister house in GOR-I allegedly in violation of building regulations.
A citizen, Khadija Amjad Wazir, challenged the construction of the building as public interest litigation.
Advocate Moazzam Ali Shah, the petitioner’s counsel, argued before the court that the provincial government had approved the multi-storey project in the GOR-I to accommodate the guests of the chief minister without any regard for the rules and regulations.
He pointed out that the project comprised a basement and three storeys and that too without an approval of any building plan by the competent authority.
The counsel said under the Government Officers Residences Building and Construction Regulations 2022, the maximum height of the buildings in the GOR-I, Lahore, had been fixed as 45 feet. He said the rules allowed only single-storey construction in the government housing area.
He asked the court to restrain the authorities from carrying out the alleged unlawful construction and also order demolition of the illegal structure.
In its reply, the communication and works department told the court that the regulations fixed a maximum height of a building on a plot measuring four kanals was 45 feet and number of storeys at three.
However, it said, the building in question was being constructed with a basement, ground floor and first floor with an overall elevation of 36 feet & 10 inches above the road level.
The department said the project had been designed to cater to the accommodation needs of foreign delegations, senior officials and guests.
It also questioned the locus standi of the petitioner to agitate the matter being a policy decision of the government and asked the court to dismiss the petition.
Justice Asim Hafeez adjourned the hearing till Thursday and directed the lawyers of the petitioner and the government to come up with their final arguments.
Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2023
