CJP orders immediate removal of over-sized billboards

–Orders immediate repairing of elevators at Services Hospital

–Directs authorities to start construction of church in October

LAHORE: In a decisive blow to marketing firms, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Saturday ordered the removal of billboards beyond the set size limit from the provincial capital.

Hearing crucial cases in Supreme Court’s (SC) Lahore Registry, the top judge ordered the removal of advertisement-aimed boards and issued a notice to the Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) director general as well.

“It is the responsibility of the civil administration to keep the city clean,” remarked the chief justice.

CJP’s directives come a month after the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the concerned authorities to remove signboards from all heritage sites on the Mall Road in Lahore.

Justice Ali Akbar Qureshi passed the orders while hearing a case regarding the installation of over-sized signboards on the thoroughfare.

The court also directed for strict action against those who have installed signboards larger than the prescribed size.

ORDERS IMMEDIATE REPAIRING OF ELEVATORS AT SERVICES HOSPITAL:

CJP Nisar has ordered immediate repairing of elevators in the Services Hospital, which are reported to be dysfunctional.

During a hearing, Services Hospital’s Dr Mehmood Ayaz told the CJP that elevators of the hospital were not functioning causing medics and attendants to face difficulty in transferring patients from one ward to another.

In response, the CJP inquired about the whereabouts of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the private company responsible for maintenance of the elevators.

A lawyer representing the company told the CJP that the CEO was on leave for Hajj and would return on August 27.

The company’s legal representative explained that work on all the elevators was completed on their part.

However, CJP Nisar ordered the CEO of the company to appear before the court on August 29 along with a report on the issue.

The CJP had visited the hospital on July 14 and had expressed annoyance over complaints by patients for not being provided medicines free of charge.

DIRECTS AUTHORITIES TO START CONSTRUCTION OF CHURCH IN OCTOBER:

While hearing a suo motu notice on the non-construction of a church in Kamonki despite the availability of funda, CJP Nisar directed that the construction work of the church be started in October.

Minority MPA Tariq Masih Gil appeared in the court under court’s orders. He told the court that he got funds sanctioned for construction of church as provincial minister. The construction work could not be started due to general elections and the construction will be started when the funds are released.

The court directed Punjab additional advocate general to release funds for the construction of church so it could be started in time.

Meanwhile, while hearing a case pertaining to the non-provision of share of inheritance, CJP directed the seven brothers of a solitary sister to give her the share of her inheritance.