Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Abdul Jabbar Shaheen managed to get a clean chit in the plaza demolition incident that claimed four lives. The LDA DG, who ordered demolition of the plaza at BOR society in Johar Town despite court’s stay orders, walks free, while LDA managed to have cases lodged against the plaza owner, his son, five LDA officials and others on Sunday.
Plaza owner Mian Shahid Mahmood filed a petition seeking court direction for the registration of criminal case against ten LDA staffers including deputy directors Azhar Ali, Malik Ahmad and Choudhary Akram. He argued that LDA officials were responsible for the loss of lives during the demolishing. The court after hearing the arguments, directed the police to register a case if any cognizable offence was established against LDA officials who took part in the demolition.
Meanwhile, Shahid also submitted an application to include LDA DG in the case and he was all set to file contempt of court against the police for delaying in complying court orders regarding registration of cases against LDA officials. However, in a pre-emptive move, LDA got the cases registered against eight people including plaza owner Shahid Mehmood, his son Faizan Shahid, LDA officials including Chief Engineer Saeed Akhtar, Director Town Planning Shaikeh Khalid, EME Director Abdul Razzak, Buildings Director Malik Ahmed Nawaz and Buildings Deputy Director Iqbal Javeed.
“It is strange that instead of relatives of the deceased, LDA Admin Director Khalid Pervaiz came forward and had the cases lodged,” senior LDA official told Pakistan Today. LDA exerted that tragedy took place due to intervention of plaza owner, saying when LDA demolition work was in progress, plaza owner tried to impede the operation that caused chaos and due to which the building caved in.
Earlier, LDA suspended four LDA officers. The DG also constituted an enquiry committee for finding facts of the incident and directed it to furnish its report within 24 hours. Convened by the LDA Additional DG (HQ) Hafiz Ihsanul Haque, the committee comprised of WASA MD Dr Javed Iqbal, LDA Dir DG (HQ) Fawad Amir and Admin Director Khalid Pervaiz.
Chaudhry Qadeer from BOR society told Pakistan Today that plaza debris was stinking, implying that there were still dead bodies under it. He said that thumb impressions of relatives of the deceased were taken on white papers, which would be used in court in favour of LDA.