RAWALPINDI: A civil court on Monday dismissed both the contempt petition and the application seeking restoration of possession filed by a contractor against the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) over the Raja Bazaar Fawwara Chowk Parking Plaza, holding that no case was made out for initiating contempt proceedings or restoring possession after expiry of the contract.

Civil Judge Sofia Malik announced the order after hearing detailed arguments from both sides.

Representing the RDA, Legal Adviser Kashif Ali Malik argued that the contractor’s agreement had expired on July 10, and that no public property could legally remain in the possession of a contractor even for a single moment after the contractual period had ended.

He submitted that the court should take notice of the conduct of the plaintiff, pointing out that the relief claimed in the suit itself was confined to protection of possession only during the subsistence of the contract. He contended that once the agreement expired, neither the plaintiff acquired any legal right to continue occupying the Parking Plaza nor could the court rewrite the contract by extending its duration through judicial orders.

The RDA counsel further argued that the authority had acted strictly in accordance with law while resuming possession of the public property after expiry of the contract. He maintained that there had been no deliberate or intentional disobedience of any court order and, therefore, the contempt petition was not maintainable.

Counsel for the contractor, Rana Zahid Ali, argued that RDA officials had forcibly taken possession of the Parking Plaza in violation of the court’s injunction and requested the court to restore possession to his client besides proceeding against the officials under the law of contempt.

After hearing the rival submissions, the court dismissed both the contempt petition and the application for restoration of possession.

The dispute relates to the contractor’s challenge to RDA’s decision regarding the operation of the Fawara Chowk Parking Plaza. Following expiry of the contract on July 10, the authority resumed possession of the facility, prompting the contractor to initiate contempt proceedings and seek restoration of possession.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2026