LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Friday declared that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) director general cannot retain more than one official accommodation under the law.

Justice Raheel Kamran issued the ruling on a petition challenging an order by the LDA director administration whereby official accommodation No 2, Shadman Colony, Lahore, had been cancelled from the name of a director and declared as official accommodation of the LDA DG.

A counsel for the petitioner contended that besides declaration of the accommodation in question as official accommodation, the DG had earlier declared accommodation No 46, Garden Town, New Garden Town, Lahore, as official accommodation/camp office and he has also been provided accommodation in GOR-I by the Punjab government.

He argued that there was no provision in the policy authorising the DG to declare two official accommodations for him.

When confronted, a counsel for the LDA admitted that the DG was retaining more than one official accommodation/camp offices in Lahore.

However, he argued that the DG was the competent authority to designate and issue allotment orders for any official accommodation according to the policy.

In his decision, Justice Kamran observed that paragraph No 4 of the policy outlines entitlement of official accommodations, according to which the LDA has no legal obligation to provide legal right or claim to the allotment of LDA-owned residential accommodation.

However, till the time the facility is being provided to the officers/officials of the LDA, their entitlement shall be, for BS-19 or above, accommodation of one kanal and above (single or double storey).

“No exception to the above principle is spelled out in the policy, supported by any provision of law, in favour of the director general, LDA, therefore, he has no lawful authority and entitlement to designate, allot and retain more than one accommodation,” the judge maintained.

With the consent of both sides, the judge disposed of the petition and remitted the matter to the LDA DG for reconsideration of the impugned order, while declaring only one official accommodation for his residence within a period of 15 days.

The judge observed that the spare accommodations shall be allotted to other officers/officials who are entitled in terms of the policy.

DISMISSED: An anti-terrorism court on Friday dismissed post-arrest bail petition of a co-suspect, Yasir Ali, in alleged honey-trapping and kidnapping of playwright Khalilur Rehman Qamar.

Previously, the court had also denied bail to Amna Arooj, the key suspect.

Two suspects – Hassan Shah and Rafiq alias Feeqi -- are on physical remand while nine other suspects including Tanvir Ahmed, Qaiser Abbas, Rasheed Ahmed, Falak Sher, Mian Khan, Yasir Ali, Javed Iqbal, Zeeshan Qayum and Mamoon Haider are in judicial lockup.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024