Lahore – Lahore High Court (LHC) Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed on Thursday issued notices to the Punjab government, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) on a petition challenging establishment of the Park and Ride Shopping Plaza at the Liberty Market. The judge directed the respondents to file replies until March 2. Judicial Activism Panel Chairman Azhar Siddique and six Liberty Market shop owners filed the petition submitting that transfer of land to the LDA for constructing the plaza was illegal, based on mala fide, unreasonable and violation of fundamental rights mentioned in the constitution.
The petitioners submitted that the LDA and PHA had no jurisdiction to do business on the land other than the businesses prescribed in rules and regulations owing to which the court should cancel all notifications issued by the Punjab government and PHA regarding the land’s transfer to the LDA. They also requested the court to cancel the notification establishing the PHA under the Punjab Development of Cities Act 1976 and parking and other related facilities might be restored to the original position, as it was before inauguration of the plaza.
