IHC summons ISI chief, secretary over Aabpara encroachments

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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has summoned Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general and the defence secretary on Wednesday in a case pertaining to encroachments in Islamabad’s Aabpara locality.

During a hearing on Friday, the court also took up the matter of road blockage by two private TV channels owing to work carried out at their premises.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) Director Syed Jawad Muzaffar said the civic agency had carried out demarcations after it received a complaint regarding the encroachments; however, a fresh demarcation will be carried out through the land survey department. The CDA will take corrective measures to remove encroachment if the complaint found valid, he added.

Officials of Islamabad Capital Territory, CDA, and senior superintendent of police (SSP) Traffic will also appear in court to make statements on steps taken to remove the encroachments.

On June 22, the IHC had given the Ministry of Defence and the CDA one week to clear a public road by removing barricades placed in front of the ISI headquarters.

The ministry officials had informed the court that the road was blocked due to security reasons, adding that the intelligence agency had also included 40 kanals of green belt in its premises.

In his order, the IHC judge Shaukat Siddiqui had said that the security agency should only take measures to secure its own premises and refrain from encroaching upon public space.