SC to hear petition of Margalla Towers' residents on 25th
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—A four-member bench of the Supreme Court will hear a constitutional petition filed by four owners of different flats located in the Margalla Tower, Islamabad on October 25 (Tuesday).
The hearing of the case will be held in the Registry Building Supreme Court Lahore. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said this on Wednesday while taking up the request made by Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada regarding the hearing of the case about Margalla Towers.
Four owners of different flats of the Margalla Towers (Two blocks of the Towers collapsed completely on October 08 in the earthquake) have filed Constitutional Petition prepared by their counsel, Sharifuddin Pirzada regarding compensation to owners of flats of the said Towers. This petition has been filed in the Supreme Court through Advocate On Record (AOR) Mehar Khan Malik.
The Constitutional Petition has been filed under Article 184 (3) Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan on behalf of Saad Mazhar S/o Mazhar Ali, R/o Flat No.208 Margallah Towers, F/10 Markaz Islamabad, Humayun Ahmed S/o Naseem Ahmed, R/o of Karachi and Flat No.805 Margalla Towers (The flat is owned by his (parents), Mrs. Rukhsana Durrani owner of Flat No. 302-C, Margallah Towers and Farid Madhit, S/o Mehmood Raunaq R/o Flat No.706 Margalla Towers.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) through its Chairman, Islambad, Chaudhry Construction Company (CCC) Associates, Architects, Engineers and Developers, Ginza Centre, 104-W, Blue Areas F/7-G-7, Jinnah Avenue, Islamabad and Muhammad Ramzan Khokhar, Managing Director C/o CCC Associates have been made respondents in the petition.
The petitioners have prayed to the Apex Court to issue directions to the above mentioned respondents to compensate the petitioner and affectees severally and jointly after hearing the case primarily. The petitioner said that the Apex Court has the power to grant remedial relief to award compensation, interim compensation and to direct respondents to provide temporary accommodation till the matters are sorted out. The Court may also be pleased to give direction to respondents to pay jointly and severally punitive damages for the loss of life and injuries caused to the victims.
They also prayed to the Court for the appointment of a small committee of architects and engineers to review building laws and make amendments aimed at meeting such situation and contingecy.
It is pertinent to mentioned here that the concrete work was declared poor after carrying out inspection of several RCC beams and slabs in the basement indicate construction defects such as segregation of concrete, honeycombing, lack of curing, use of improper forms during concreting (as the section appear to have bulged at many locations), inadequate concrete cover, porosity (indicating inadequate compaction) according to the report on Margalla Towers.
This report was prepared by the Engineer Haris Aqil of University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore and Engineer Amir Hayat University of Engineering and Technology Peshawar after carrying out inspection of Margalla Towers from October 13 to 15, 1998. The inspection was carried out on the request of Margalla Towers Islamabad Residents Society (MATRIS).