PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court has directed the local government department to reconstruct a portion of the boundary wall of the historical Jinnah Park along the Grand Trunk Road that was demolished during the construction of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor.

A bench consisting of Chief Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan and Justice Syed M Attique Shah directed local government secretary Shakil Mian to ensure the immediate start of work on the wall and submit progress report on it by Mar 10.

It issued the order while hearing a petition filed by Peshawar resident Mohammad Ali Bhatti, who sought its directives for the provincial government and Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) for improving the conditions of parks in the provincial capital.

LG secretary Shakil Mian, PDA director general Syed Zaffar Ali Shah and additional advocate general Rab Nawaz Khan appeared before the bench and promised action on its order.

The secretary assured the court that the wall would be rebuilt in around two months.

The petitioner said during the BRT corridor construction, a portion of Jinnah Park was included in the project and its boundary wall along the GT Road was demolished.

Asks LG secy to produce progress report by March 10

He said the boundary wall had so far not been reconstructed.

The bench observed that Jinnah Park was of historical significance and the demolition of its boundary wall had affected its beauty.

It added that the government should have reconstructed the wall earlier.

STAY EXTENDED: Another high court bench comprising Justice Mussarat Hilali and Justice Mohammad Nasir Mahfooz extended interim relief issued by it for the smooth gas supply to Peshawar in the winter season and directed the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited to improve the pressure of natural gas being supplied to the residents.

The high court had earlier this month issued the stay order against natural gas loadshedding for domestic consumers on the plea of lawyer Saifullah Muhib Kakakhel, who challenged continuous loadshedding in parts of the capital requesting to declare its non-supply illegal and unconstitutional.

It had ordered the improvement of gas supply to domestic consumers from Jan to March.

The main plea was filed by the petitioner in 2019 saying KP produces natural gas more than its needs and under Article 158 of the Constitution, the needs of the province have to be met first before supplying it to other provinces.

Last month, the petitioner had filed an application in the petition seeking interim relief of provision of natural gas to consumers in the ongoing winter season.

Some lawyers present in the courtroom informed the bench that despite the stay order, the SNGPL had either been carrying out loadshedding or reduced gas pressure in different areas.

The bench directed the authorities to strictly follow its earlier order to protect consumers from cold and chilly weather.

The petitioner said under Article 158 of the Constitution, it was the right of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to get the supply of natural gas on priority basis for producing it more than its needs.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2021