IHC orders de-sealing of shops in Sabzi Mandi

Islamabad: Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) here on Thursday directed the Islamabad administration to de-seal shops in the Islamabad Fruit and Vegetable Market (Sabzi Mandi) that were sealed on the pretext of encroachments.

The IHC bench issued these orders on the writ petition of General Secretary Food Green Market Ashfaq Ahmed Abbasi and another official of the association Malik Muhammad Ashraf. The petitioners through their counsel Rana Arshad Mehmood, advocate, adopted before the court that the petitioners were harassed without any cause and their shops were sealed on the pretext of encroachments.

The general secretary wholesale fruit market and central association of fruit and green traders had obtained a stay order from a subordinate court regarding green entry passes and auction of parking against the Islamabad administration.

A member National Assembly Ayesha Syed on January 27, 2016 had pointed out in the National Assembly that in the Fruit And Vegetable Market of Islamabad, 70 rupees were charged from transporters and traders on the pretext of entry fee and welfare fund. Additionally, the administration of this market is also receiving from Rs24,000 to Rs48,000 from shopkeepers and traders on the pretext of license fee whereas license fee all over the country is Rs1,000.

Petitioners told the court that they were protesting against these issues against administration of this market while Islamabad administration harassed the protesting traders.On July 4 assistant commissioner Saddar Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) in collaboration with administrator market committee raided shops in Fruit and Vegetable Market of Islamabad and sealed shops of the petitioners.IHC bench after hearing arguments in this case directed to de-seal shops.