LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday summoned Punjab Chief Secretary for tomorrow (Thursday, Feb 4) after the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General failed to satisfy it over the issue of illegal housing societies set up on green areas, land reserved by the LDA for agriculture and other purposes.

The court also sought a list of officers posted in Lahore Development Authority on deputation.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan passed the orders while hearing a petition filed by Mubashar Almas against establishment of 557 housing societies on green areas of the city.

At the start of the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel argued before the court that the LDA had submitted an unclear report about stay orders obtained by illegal housing societies, in response to previous court orders.

He submitted that the authority had not determined responsibility for establishment of illegal societies on agricultural lands.

He submitted that since many years, a number of officers were working on deputation in the LDA and they failed to perform their duties.

At this stage, the Chief Justice addressed the counsel and observed that he meant that officers on deputation also received their share from the gold mine (LDA). The Chief Justice questioned LDA DG Ahmad Aziz Tarar how many societies were established in green areas.

To this, the DG submitted that 241 societies were set up on green areas and 62 had been given approval.

However, the Chief Justice questioned whether legal requirements were fulfilled for the approval of 62 societies and how many societies were set up in the past two years on green areas.

But, the DG and the counsel for LDA remained silent to the question whereas the petitioner’s counsel apprised the court about the details.

The Chief Justice remarked that if the LDA could not do anything, then why not a commission headed by Sessions Judge should be constituted.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the matter till February 4 and summoned the Punjab Chief Secretary in person.

It is pertinent to mention here that the court had stayed constructions in housing societies established on green land areas in the city, besides stopping implementation on the amnesty scheme by the LDA for housing societies, on the last hearing.