The Islamabad Capital Development Authority (CDA) decided on Tuesday to partially de-seal the Centaurus Mall after sealing it for violating building regulations the previous evening.
CDA officials said that the parts that are in violation of building regulations would stay sealed.
However, the decision to de-seal the rest of the building was taken in light of problems faced by traders and shopowners operating in the mall.
The CDA’s Building Control Directorate had sealed the mall on Monday night. It said that the action was taken as Centuarus did not have effective safety measures in place. The building which houses a shopping mall and residential apartments caught fire on October 9.
The building was sealed with barbed wire around all entrances, while security and staff members were ordered off the premises.
The building is owned by Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, who is also the sitting Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and belongs to the PTI.
Imran Khan took to Twitter early on Tuesday to claim Centaurus was sealed by the ‘PDM mafia’ in response to PM AJK ‘censuring’ PM Shehbaz Sharif on Monday.
Imran Khan said that the sealing shows there is ‘law of jungle’ in Pakistan and it sends ‘negative signals to Kashmiris.’
PM Shehbaz Sharif and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas were seen in a televised spat on Monday. PM Sharif told Sardar Tanveer as the latter interrupted him in a speech in Mangla.
“Sit down, no later. Please. I will talk to you,” PM Sharif told the AJK PM, gesturing with his hand as he said it.
Sardar Tanveer later said that he interrupted to ask the PM to mention the ‘sacrifices of the people of Kashmir’ for Mangla dam’s construction.
