On Tuesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to immediately de-seal the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) central secretariat. This decision followed an undertaking by the PTI to adhere to building control regulations within a week.
This development came after the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) had sealed the PTI office in Sector G-8/4 of the federal capital on July 23. The closure was due to violations of the Islamabad Building Standards for Fire Prevention and Life Safety 2010, following a notice issued to the PTI Secretariat the day before.
The PTI challenged the sealing in court, arguing that the action was taken without prior notice and thus lacked legal authority. The IHC found that the CDA had failed to provide evidence of an urgent situation that justified the inspection of the building.
Earlier on Tuesday, the IHC overturned the MCI’s July 22 order to seal the PTI office. The court instructed the PTI to implement fire safety measures, including installing fire extinguishers on every floor, setting up a gas leakage detector for the kitchen, ensuring proper wiring, and placing a dedicated water tank with a fire pump and manual fire alarm system on the rooftop.
It’s also worth noting that earlier in May, the federal capital’s administration had demolished part of the PTI secretariat as part of an anti-encroachment drive aimed at removing illegal constructions in the city.
