SC wants all billboards removed within six weeks

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Thursday directed the federal government as well as cantonment boards across the country to remove billboards and structures from public places within six weeks and submit compliance reports.

A two-member bench of the apex court, comprising JusticeGulzar Ahmed and Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, heard a case of removal of billboards from all major cities. Last year in October, the court had issued directives for removal of all the billboards installed in municipal and cantonment areas across the country.

Hearing a case pertaining to billboards in Lahore, former chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar had observed that orders for removal of billboards issued for Karachi earlier would also apply to other cities.

During the hearing on Thursday, Justice Gulzar Ahmed observed that though billboards had been removed, their structures were still present and questioned as to who will remove them. "A halfhearted job has been done,” Justice Gulzar remarked and asked if someone from the sky will come for their removal.

The counsel for the cantonment board submitted that removal of structures was the job of advertisers. He said the advertisers had been issued notices, which were not complied with. He told the court that removal of structures required Rs1 million, but the Cantonment Board Lahore lacked funds.

At this, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh observed that tomorrow the police would also say they could not arrest criminals for lack of sufficient funds. The judge said it was the Cantonment Board’s responsibility to remove these structures.

Justice Gulzar Ahmed said the board should auction off these structures if the advertising companies were not removing them. The counsel then pleaded that they could remove these structures on the court directives. The hearing would resume after the summer vacation.