LAHORE - Justice Shahid Karim of Lahore High Court Thursday sought reply within two weeks from the Punjab government over skyrocketing prices of fruits and vegetables especially `tomatoes’.
Judicial Activism Penal (JAP) chairman Muhammad Azhar Siddique approached the court, submitting that that every government was duty bound to work for public welfare and ensure food and vegetables supply at reasonable prices but the government was trying to protect their party leader.
Bad governance resulted in rise in prices of fruits, vegetables and other edible items, he said.
Meanwhile, the LHC gave time to government until October 30 to explain the establishment of a restaurant at the Lahore Fort. Syed Abdal Zaidi filed the petition alleging that the authority had allowed construction/alteration at Lahore Fort for establishment of a restaurant. He said it would damage the fort which also world heritage site.
The Lahore Walled City Authority counsel in reply had said that no construction or alteration work was being carried out at the site; it was conservation of the fort being done in the light of the authority’s own laws.
Govt lawyer scolded
Justice Ayesha A Malik of the Lahore High Court Thursday issued notice to the Lahore development authority (LDA) and others on a petition challenging the construction of a private school in the residential area of Zahoor Elahi Road in Gulberg.
The court snubbed the government counsel for failure in checking construction of the school in residential area and questioned why the environment department failed to prevent such an illegal construction.
The judge ordered the respondents to submit reply within two weeks to explain why the department concerned did not take action on this illegal construction. Munir Ahmad, a resident a dweller of the area approached the court submitting that the commercial activities in residential area were prohibited. He said that this construction would not only cause pollution and traffic hazards.
