Reply sought in pleas against metro train project

LAHORE
A division bench of the Lahore High Court Thursday directed Punjab government, city district government, Lahore Development Authority, directors of Archeology and Environment Departments and others to submit reply on petitions against demolition of properties in Kapoorthala House, Old Anarkali and Chauburji for the construction of Orange Line Metro Train Project.
The bench comprising Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh and Justice Shahid Kareem resumed hearing and a law officer sought more time to file reply on behalf of the government and other departments.
The bench adjourned hearing till December 7 and extended stay against demolition of the petitioners' properties.
Residents of Kapoorthala House and Chauburji had filed the petitions and pointed out a number violation of laws committed by the government in acquiring properties of the citizens for the construction of the project.
The counsel of the petitioners alleged that the government obliged the metro train project with the funds allocated for other important and inevitable projects including clean drinking water projects, enhancement of graveyard projects, education and healthcare projects.
He said the government failed to understand public interest as provision to health and education was more important and guaranteed than the construction of the metro train. The counsel argued that the matter of cost of the train project was still a mystery for the whole nation as no one knew on which cost the project would be completed. He said media reported that the budget for the project was estimated around Rs165 billion and the amount for land acquisition was around Rs200 billion. The counsel also pointed out violation of environment laws in the project and said the government was going to 'damage' a major portion of old heritage including General Post Office (GPO) Lahore and some part of Shalimar Garden and Chauburji to accommodate the track of the metro train.
He said many provisions of Land Acquisition Act, 1894 were in violation of fundamental rights of protected in the Constitution. He asked the court to stop all process of acquisition, transfer of any fund or any action for establishment of the project be suspended and the respondents be restrained from taking any further steps in pursuance of acquisition of the petitioners' land.
Journalist Colony: Lahore High Court Justice Shams Mahmood Mirza Thursday stayed setting up of a grid station in Lahore Journalist Colony and issued notices to the Punjab government, Lesco and others.
Muhammad Shahid Attari, a resident of the colony, had challenged the formation of the grid station on its land submitting that it would cause environmental pollution in the area. He stated that the station’s formation was also the violation of Section 17 (2) of Housing Colony Laws under which residential land cannot be acquired for such project. The petitioner told the judge that the Punjab government acquired 35-kanal land for the erection and formation of the grid station. He prayed the court to declare the formation of grid station as illegal and unlawful and order the government to stop it soon for larger interest of the residents.
After hearing the arguments, the court stayed the formation of the grid station and put off hearing for two weeks.
dismissed: A division bench of the Lahore High Court headed by Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan on Thursday dismissed an appeal against sentence filed by a man convicted in Naval War College suicide attack case.The convict Muhammad Nadeem through his counsel pleaded that trial court awarded him life imprisonment on the basis of insufficient evidences presented by the prosecution.
The counsel said prosecution presented not a single eyewitness against the appellant and nobody identified him as suspect. He prayed to the court to set aside the sentence and acquit his client.
A deputy prosecutor opposed the appeal and stated that witnesses had identified the appellant and explosive material was also recovered from his custody. After hearing both sides, the bench dismissed the appeal.