An intra-court appeal has been filed on behalf of the licensee of Trail-V khokha. It is one of the 500 licensed khokhas (kiosks) in the city which are facing demolition.
Earlier in the month, 200 Khokhas were demolished and another 200 were under threat of being demolished in the federal capital, despite apparently being on a list of licensed khokhas registered with the CDA.
“Over 200 khokhas in Islamabad have been demolished this month by the government of Imran Khan. Another 200 will probably be destroyed soon. Where is your compassion? Khokhas provide affordable food and drink to the city’s poorest residents. Why make Isb a khokha-less?” tweeted rights lawyer Umer Gillani, who has taken up the case.
Over 200 khokhas in Islamabad have been demolished this month by the government of @ImranKhanPTI. Another 200 will probably be destroyed soon.
Where is your compassion?
Khokhas provide affordable food and drink to the city’s poorest residents. Why make Isb a khokha-less? pic.twitter.com/NWUYME81id
— Umer Gilani (@umergilani_lums) July 12, 2019
“The CDA has demolished almost 200 of these khokhas in June and July this year on the flimsy pretext of its anti-encroachment drive and plans to finish off all of them,” he said in a statement to Pakistan Today.
Gillani said that the khokhas facing demolition serve free water, affordable food and shade to the poorest of the city’s residents and are integral to the fabric of the capital city.
“The demolition of all khokhas in the city will not only cause damage to the livelihoods of licensees, it could also endanger the right to life too. It may be recalled that in Karachi more than a 1000 people died during a heatwave because the couldn’t find shade or water,” he added.
The intra-court appeal that was filed has been alotted ICA No. 304/2019 and was fixed earlier today before DB of J. Aamir and J. Miangul.
The appeal has been admitted for regular hearing, and notices have been issued to the government. The case will again be heard on Monday, along with other similar appeals.
