40 capital courts working in buildings without paying rent

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration is still indecisive about moving some 40 courts functioning in rented shops and rooms, for which rent has not been paid for about last two years, and a rent-controller court has ordered immediate evacuation of the rented buildings.

Interestingly, the rent-controller court which ordered evacuation of all the rented buildings was itself functioning in one of these rented buildings.

The ICT is responsible for paying the rent of these buildings where these lower courts function but administrative mismanagement has resulted in a situation where courts in the capital of the country are ordered to vacate the building because of non-payment of rent.

One wonders what kind of justice could be dispensed when a judge would have the realisation that he was functioning as a judge in a building whose rent is not paid and even there are judicial orders to vacate this building. According to sources, the ICT is working to move an appeal to get a stay order against the order of the rent-controller judge, but even in that case, judges would be unable to function independently as their conscience would be bothering them that they were performing their judicial functions under a stay order.

Zulfiqar Haider, Commissioner Islamabad, whose office is responsible to pay these rents in time, told The News that his office has sent many letters and summaries to the Finance Division to get approval of the amount of rent which is around Rs160 million. He said that because of commercial value of the property, the rent demanded by owners is many times higher than the approved government rates so a formal approval for these very high rates has to be taken. He said that rent was not paid since July, 2014. Zulfiqar said that his office has fulfilled all its duties and sent letter and reminders for approval but delay is from the side of Finance Department.

He said that many cracks have appeared in the buildings after recent earthquake and now the ICT was considering acquiring some new place on rent where some 70 courts will be adjusted. He said that many places are being considered but only a place which is suitable and accessible for the ordinary citizens will be selected.

The commissioner said that permanent solution of this problem lies in shifting of all these courts in permanent building constructed for them in Sector G-10 Islamabad where the Islamabad High Court (IHC) is temporarily functioning at present. He said that after the IHC will be shifted to its own building, all lower courts will be shifted to the building constructed for them and the issue will be sorted out permanently.