IHC Directs CDA, MCI To Resolve Issues Of Street Vendors
APP
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed the authorities including Capital Development Authority (CDA), to address the problems of street-vendors/stallholders (rehribaans) in capital.
The court instructed the CDA, Municipal Corporation Islamabad (MCI), District Administration and ICT traffic police to resolve the issues of petitioners ‘rehribaans’ with coordination and informed it on next hearing.
A single member bench of IHC comprising Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq Khan heard the case filed by vendors through Advocate Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha.
At the outset of hearing, the MCI officials took the stance that the corporation only looks at their licenses.
Justice Sardar Ijaz Ishaq remarked that this is not a legal matter but a matter of coordination. The CDA and MCI should coordinate among themselves so that this problem does not arise.
The court, while addressing to the Additional Deputy Commissioner, said that these are several hundred very poor earners, why did they have to file a petition even?
Advocate Imaan Mazari argued that this is not an issue of traffic disruption.
The court remarked that these vendors filed application to the deputy commissioner office but it didn’t take notice even after hearing them.
The Additional Deputy Commissioner said that this is a matter for MCI and CDA, the traffic police take action only when necessary.
The petitioners’ lawyer also produced the videos and pictures in USB before the court and said that the court has been wrongly told that this is a traffic issue. Money is asked from these people and when they do not give it, the police take them away, she said.
The Assistant Commissioner said that we do not take action against those stalls of vendors who have licenses.
The court remarked that there is a license fee of Rs 2,000, their applications have been pending with you for two years.
The MCI officials said that a bill regarding ‘rehribaans’ had come to the Senate, on which we have given comments.
The CDA lawyer said that if the court gives time, we will resolve the matter soon. Advocate Imaan Mazari said that when we contact them, they do not give any response.
The CDA lawyer said that if the vendors come with the Director DMA and MCI, we will resolve the matter. The court inquired who monitors the license? The CDA lawyer said that the MCI inspectors monitor it.
The court ordered the MCI, CDA and the traffic police to resolve the matter of the petitioner vendors. The parties will present the document regarding resolution of the issue to the court at the next hearing.
The court adjourned the further hearing of the case for a week.
