RAWALPINDI, April 26: Residents of Lal Kurti on Tuesday challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) the construction of houses on a children park in the area of Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB). Nasir Saeed Sheikh of the LHC's Rawalpindi bench issued notices to the Chaklala Cantonment Board executive officer asking for his written comments within two weeks on the petition filed by Sheikh Ziaul Qamar and others against the construction.

The court, however, did not stay the construction work saying it would be decided only after hearing the other side.

“The park on Indus Road-II was established some 30 years back and was being used for the children of the area besides other activities such as funeral prayers and Eid prayer.

The area residents will lose the only available open place', the petitioners maintained.

Citing secretary ministry of defence, director for Directorate of Housing GHQ, director general military lands and cantonments, executive officer Chaklala Cantonment Board and the owner of Shahid Construction Company as respondents the petitioners through their lawyer Naseer Ahmed Tanoli said the military authorities had not taken any no-objection certificate (NOC) from the CCB that controlled the municipal services of the area administratively.

Calling the construction of houses at the park against the public interest at large, the petitioners said the higher courts of the country had time and again ruled against the raising of any construction at public parks.

They said the residents of area on April 4 filed an application with the CCB authorities signed by 30 persons asking for either stopping the construction or provide any other open place in the vicinity of the park.

“When we file the application with Chaklala Cantonment Board 20 days ago the authorities started marking for the construction but the executive officer did not take any action and the military authorities started construction work”, said the petitioners.

They have prayed to the court to declare the construction work illegal and direct the authorities not to occupy the children park.