ISLAMABAD, July 23: The Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Justice Mohammad Anwar Khan Kasi, on Tuesday restrained the administration of the Centaurus Tower from collecting parking fee from visitors.

Centaurus, located in F-8 Sector at the confluence of Jinnah and Faisal avenues, is a $350 million tower comprised of an international standard mega mall, ultra-luxurious apartments and penthouses, modern corporate offices and a high-end deluxe hotel.

The tower was partially inaugurated in February this year.

Its parking facility was free till June, but during the current month, the Centaurus administration imposed Rs200 parking fee for car and jeeps, and Rs100 for each motorcycle.

Syed Amir Khawar Bokhari, the petitioner, through his counsel Dr Babar Awan advocate, challenged the imposition of parking fee saying that since Centaurus Tower was a private firm, its administration could not impose the said fee on visitors.

He cited the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Centaurus administration as respondents.

Arguing before the court, Dr Awan contended that the tower administration had established its parking on the land which in fact belonged to the CDA.

He alleged that the administration, in connivance with the civic body, was charging illegal parking fee from visitors.

The counsel added that the Centaurus administration did not obtain any authorisation from the CDA for collecting the revenue, and had not deposited the collected amount with the government treasury.

Mr Awan said the illegal parking was established over an area of 48,000 square feet and in the layout plan, the said space was shown as a service area where no parking activities were planned.

He requested the court to direct the CDA for the removal of the illegal parking from the service area.

Justice Anwar Kasi, after hearing the preliminary arguments, issued a stay order against the collection of parking fee and also sought a reply from CDA and the Centaurus administration within a fortnight.