Ayubia chairlift operation suspension: Contempt notices issued to GDA, others

ABBOTTABAD: A civil court has issued a contempt of court notice to Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) in the Ayubia chairlift case.

The court had asked the GDA to comply with the stay order granted in the Ayubia chairlift case. The authority had suspended the chairlift operation on the plea that it was declared dangerous by an international firm in 2019.

Civil Judge-1 Abbottabad Shahid Zaman issued notices to respondents in the case after a contempt petition was filed by Mohammad Ayaz Khan, the contractor of the Ayubia chairlift. The court directed the bailiff to prepare a detailed report after spot inspection and maintain the status quo already granted.

The court directed the bailiff to submit the report on or before the next date fixed for the hearing of the case. Earlier, the court had granted a stay order but the GDA authorities stopped the chairlift operation by declaring it unsafe. The court issued notices to the respondents, including the director-general GDA, through the bailiff with the direction to comply with the stay order issued on September 28.

The court fixed October 20 for further proceedings into the case. When contacted, GDA Spokesman Ahsan Hameed said the chairlift was installed in 1965 and was declared unsafe by a firm in 2019. He said the operation of the chairlift was recently suspended due to its poor condition when an incident happened a few days back.

Meanwhile, the GDA in a letter addressed to the Abbottabad district police officer sought the registration of a case against Muhammad Ayaz Khan, the contractor of Ayubia chairlift, chairman and vice-chairman of community-based social organisation Galiyat Tahafuz Movement Sardar Sabir and Sardar Iftikhar, respectively and others. The GDA alleged that the persons in question had entered the premises of the Ayubia chairlift forcibly and broke open the doors, hurled threats at the technical staff and instigated the locals.