rawalpindi - The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench yesterday directed District Coordination Officer (DCO), administrators of Rawal and Potohar Towns, executive officers of two cantonment boards and City Police Officer (CPO) to appear in person in the court on August 29 and inform the court what initiatives they had taken to remove encroachments from the city.

Justice Ibad-ur-Rehman Lodhi of the LHC’s Rawalpindi bench was hearing a contempt of court plea filed by Advocate Anwar Dar against the city managers for not removing encroachments from markets and major roads.

In his order, Justice Lodhi directed the officials to submit a detailed reply as why they had not implemented the high court’s order dated May 26 about removal of encroachments from the city.

Citing the city managers as respondents, the petitioner had contended before the court that the officials had failed to implement the court order regarding taking decisive action against encroachments. The petitioner has cited Azmat Mehmood, Director General Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), District Coordination Officer (DCO) Talat Mehmood Gondal, Dr Saima Shah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB), CEO Chaklala Cantt Rana Rafique, Nazia Perveen administrator Rawal Town, Arif Raheem administrator Pothohar Town as respondents.

The petitioner adopted that the LHC bench in its judgment had directed city administration to clear the city roads and nullahs from encroachments but it paid no heed that is against norms of law and justice.

On June 2, LHC bench had disposed of the petition while directing the city administration to continue with the campaign recently launched under direction of the court, which otherwise is to be undertaken under the relevant provisions regulating the business-affairs of such authorities.

Advocate Dar noted that the entire campaign remained active for a few days and thereafter it was stopped and encroachers were allowed to retake the areas already cleared under directions from this court.