The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has called upon the director of building control at the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in response to a petition filed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government against the sealing of KP House in Islamabad.
The CDA sealed KP House due to alleged building violations following a police raid to apprehend KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who had led a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) march on Islamabad to protest proposed constitutional amendments and the imprisonment of party founder Imran Khan.
According to the CDA, the building was sealed for ‘illegal’ construction, with notices being served but no compliance from the KP House administration.
The petition filed by the KP administration argued that the chief executive of the province had immunity from arrest, and that the sealing of KP House for ‘non-observance’ of CDA rules was ‘shocking’.
The petition also contended that as KP House was the provincial government’s territory, its sealing and removal of documents, letters, and deeds from its premises was unlawful.
Furthermore, the petition highlighted that a day before the CDA action, the Rangers and IG Islamabad had raided the KP House and disrespected the CM, resulting in damage to valuable articles, vehicles, and furniture.
IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who presided over the petition, issued notices to the respondents after a preliminary hearing and summoned the CDA official. The hearing was adjourned until Thursday.
