LAHORE - A full bench of the Supreme Court Saturday ordered immediate removal of big billboards from the city roads.

Headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar, the bench asked Lord Mayor Mubashir Javed under which law, the installation of such big billboards was allowed.

The mayor told the court that he was an elected mayor of a particular party that was not in power following the change of government after July 25 general elections. He urged the court to issue directives to the administrative officer to cooperate with him in removing the billboards in question.

The CJP told the mayor that he (the mayor) was holding a public representative office that was “above politics”.

He directed the owners to remove billboards voluntarily. Otherwise, the CJP added the matter would be taken up on the judicial side.  Issuing notice to Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Director General, the court put off hearing.