IHC orders immediate unsealing of PTI offices

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday has ordered immediately unsealing of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) offices.

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday had reserved verdict on PTI’s petition against sealing of the party central secretariat by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Justice Thaman Rifat Imtiaz on Tuesday issued the reserved judgment and ordered CDA to immediate de-seal the PTI offices.

PTI lawyers Shoaib Shaheen and Umair Baloch, while Hafiz Arafat on behalf of CDA and state counsel Malik Abdul Rehman from the district administration appeared before the court.

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On May 24, CDA sealed the PTI Central Secretariat located in Sector G-84 of the federal capital for violating building by-laws as part of its crackdown on illegal constructions and encroachments.

The illegal constructions at the PTI Secretariat were demolished with a heavy contingent of police present outside its premises.

An additional floor was also constructed on the plot in violation of the building by-laws. The operation led to a confrontation between PTI activists and the police. PTI Islamabad President Aamir Mughal was arrested during the clash.

According to a statement issued by the CDA, several warnings and notices were issued to the plot owner over the past few years. “Notices were sent on November 19, 2020, February 22, 2021, and June 14, 2022, followed by a show-cause notice on September 4, 2023. Despite these warnings, compliance was not achieved, prompting the CDA to issue a sealing order on May 10, 2024.”

More to follow