IHC orders CDA to 'immediately' de-seal PTI's central secretariat in Islamabad

• IHC annuls MCI's sealing order issued on July 22. 
• Court orders PTI to set up precautionary arrangements at its office. 
• PTI to install fire-extinguishers at every floor, orders IHC.
  

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) authorities to de-seal the central secretariat of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) with immediate effect after the party gave an undertaking to comply with building control regulations within one week of the order. 

The development came a week after the Municipal Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) sealed the building located in the federal capital's Sector G-8/4.

The corporation sealed the premises last week on July 23 over the violation of the Islamabad Building Standards for Fire Prevention and Life Safety 2010, after serving a notice to the PTI Secretariat a day prior.

In its petition against the sealing of the party's office in Islamabad, the PTI had argued that the building was sealed without any prior notice and "as such without lawful authority".

The court said that the CDA "failed to show an iota of evidence that there was any 'emergent situation' which required inspection of the building.

The IHC earlier today (Tuesday) nullified the MCI's July 22 order regarding sealing the PTI office after the Imran Khan-founded party agreed with the city's development authority to comply with the building rules.

The court also directed the political party to put in place precautionary fire-tending arrangements at the premises. The IHC also noted that the PTI agreed with the city's administration to install the fire-extinguishers on every floor of the building.

A gas leakage detector will be set up to protect the building's kitchen, the IHC said, adding that the building will also be properly wired. The former ruling party will also set up a dedicated water tank for fire-fighting purpose along with a fire pump set as well as a manual fire alarm system on the rooftop.

It should be mentioned that the federal capital's administration had also demolished a portion of the party's secretariat in May this year over a “violation of building rules”, as part of its anti-encroachment operation to eliminate illegal construction and encroachment in the city.