The Dilkash Lahore Committee has scrapped the idea of renaming Shadman Chowk after freedom fighter Bhagat Singh in the face of opposition from Islamist groups and decided to instead rename it after poet Habib Jalib.
A press release issued on Wednesday said that the committee had recommended the following changes to the provincial government: Shadman Chowk be renamed after Habib Jalib, Bekhewal Chowk after Waris Mir, the Model Town Park roundabout after Hafeez Jullundhri, Hafeez Centre Chowk after Masood Khadarpoosh, Old Club Road after Hashim Khan, GC Chowk after Professor Ashfaq Ahmad, Kucheri Chowk after Professor Nazir, the GT Road Interchange after Sher Shah Suri and the DHA Interchange after Sir Justice Mian Abdul Rasheed.
District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal had earlier said that Shadman Chowk would be renamed after Bhagat Singh, the freedom fighter hanged at the spot almost a century ago, to acknowledge his struggle against British rule. The move drew opposition from the Tehreeki-Hurmat-i-Rasool, which challenged the move in the Lahore High Court. At the last hearing on November 30, the court had extended a stay order on the renaming of the chowk after Bhagat Singh.
The DCO told the committee on Wednesday that the suggested name changes had been advertised in the press. The press release from the city government did not mention the earlier plan to rename the chowk after Bhagat Singh.
Addressing the committee meeting, Dilkash Lahore Chairman Justice (r) Khalilur Rehman Ramday said that minorities were the most important part of any society and the majority should respect them and their properties.
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LHC Chief Justice Omar Atta Bandial remarked he had no authority to nullify provisions of the constitution.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah observed people had to bring change in law as they were supreme.
AK Dogar, counsel for the petitioner, argued that the basic spirit of the law could not be changed even if the people wanted to.
He said the matter of contempt of court and law were equal for everyone. “No one could be exempted from punishment for committing contempt of court whether it was the head of state or an ordinary citizen,” he added.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said the president could be impeached if the people wanted his impeachment.
Chief Justice Bandial said, “We are not here to convict or disqualify everyone. Ensuring implementation of court’s verdicts is our objective.”
But the bench would ensure that judicial directives were implemented, the judges said, adding that the country’s high-profile figures should not be “targeted” through such petitions.
ov� ����� cntly decided that all illegal barriers, which restrict the movement of law enforcement agencies and emergency workers, would be removed. The decision drew strong criticism from the quarters concerned, which forced authorities to sort out the modalities before the launch of any removal operation.
The areas that have been cordoned off with barriers include Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Mehmoodabad, Shah Faisal Colony, Gulshane Jauhar, North Nazimabad, New Karachi, Gulberg, Lalo Khet, Mooninabad, Saddar, Garden Town, Burns Road, Model Colony, Maskan Chowrangi, Quaide Azam Colony, PIB Colony, Safoora Chowrangi, Mosmiyat, Rabia City, Pehlwan Goth, Chisthi Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Lyari, Korangi Industrial area, SITE Town, Shershah, Orangi Town, Baldia Town, Gulshane Maymar and around 300 other sites.
This activity, which has seized to be an anomaly in the city, is a clear violation of Article 139(c)(d) and 141 of the Police Order 2002
A senior police officer told Pakistan Today that the local police could exercise these powers by placing barricades on several roads as part of the security measures for a procession, public meeting or around government installations.
In December 2008, the Sindh Home Department had announced to launch a crackdown against installation of illegal barriers and a notification was issued instructing all Station House Officers (SHOs) to remove illegal barriers from the streets and societies of the city. However, the practice has only accelerated owing to apathy of the concerned police stations, sources told Pakistan Today.
After passage of three and a half years, a high level meeting of police and Rangers’ officials had on June 21, 2012, decided to constitute a joint team to conduct surveys to collect data on illegal barriers throughout the city.
The joint survey team was constituted following the orders of Sindh government for removal of such barriers. However, no progress has so far been made in this regard.
Senior officials at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Police Station told Pakistan Today that major streets and service roads were blocked by political parties as they wanted to keep their areas safe and secure. “No political party or individual ever seeks prior permission to install any barrier in their area,” an official said.
The same views were expressed by officials of the Aziz Bhatti Police when Pakistan Today asked them for their opinion on the matter.