KARACHI, Feb 26: The Sindh High Court directed the Karachi Building Control Authority chief executive on Thursday to show cause on March 9 why he should not be tried for contempt for ordering demolition of a marriage hall and sealing it off in violation of a court order.

The petitioner-owner of a marriage hall in Gulshan-i-Iqbal submitted through Dr M. Farogh Naseem that the high court had disposed of his suit against the KBCA on Dec 8, 2003, with a direction to the KBCA to forward his regularization application to the city district government of Karachi.

The CDGK was to process the application and the plaintiff was to pay the requisite fee in accordance with the law.

In violation of the above order and without going through the various formalities, the KBCA demolished a sizable portion of the marriage lawn and sealed its main banquet hall on Feb 21 and 22. The petitioner said he suffered a loss of Rs6,000,000 on account of the KBCA action.

Justice Mushir Alam, who heard the contempt application, asked the KBCA chief executive to appear in person and show cause why he should not be prosecuted. The order to seal the premises was suspended in the meanwhile.