PTI central secretariat: Four notices served before razing ‘illegal’ structure: PML-N

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader Tariq Fazal Chaudhry on Friday refuted the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s claims with regard to the action against its central secretariat in Islamabad allegedly for violating the building bylaws.

Speaking at a news conference, the PML-N leaders shared details of the four notices issued by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) from time to time allegedly for violating the building bylaws prior to taking action on Thursday by demolishing a part of the building and sealing its premises.

PTI has termed the action against its central secretariat as a politically motivated move against the party.

However, responding to these allegations, Tariq Fazal Chaudhry dismissed the PTI’s claims that the action was taken without serving any notice, adding that four notices were served on the building for violating the bylaws before the CDA took the action on Thursday.

Giving details, he said that the building on which PTI has established its secretariat was allotted in 1995 as a class-3 shopping centre in G-8 sector. He added that in 2013, its plan was approved and approval for an additional floor was sought, but it was declined by the CDA for being against its building bylaws.

“Despite that the owner of the said building constructed two additional floors over the building in violation of the building bylaws and an additional piece of land of four kanal was illegally encroached upon when it was established as PTI central secretariat,” he claimed.

He also refuted PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan’s claims that the secretariat was raided without any notice. He claimed that the first notice was served on the building in November 2020 during the PTI government and a second notice in February 2021 again during the PTI government.

He further stated that a third notice was served on June 14, 2022, and a fourth notice on September 5, 2022, and a final show cause notice was issued on September 4, 2023, before the CDA took action against the building.

He also accused the PTI leadership of telling “lies” to the nation, saying that Islamabad has its building bylaws and regulations. He added that these rules apply to all and the PTI is not exempted from them.

He also accused the PTI government of maligning the federal government for the operation taken by the CDA under the law.

Tariq Fazal Chaudhry said that PML-N had shifted its secretariat from the F-8 sector to Chak Shehzad when the CDA served a notice for being situated in the residential areas.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024