ATC orders inquiry into illegal construction of mosque.

KARACHI -- An antiterrorism court on Thursday directed the director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to hold an inquiry into illegal construction of a mosque and madressah in Surjani Town on a plot meant for a park.

The ATC-XII judge also expressed resentment on the deputy commissioner (West) for not checking the legal status of the mosque/madressah before taking it over in government custody and directed him to appear before the court along with a report on July 13.

The ATC also came down hard on the SBCA for allowing construction on government land and sought the names of the officers concerned who were posted in the area at that time from the SBCA DG and also asked him to file a report whether any action was taken when the plot in question was encroached upon.

The court was hearing a case registered against two suspects, affiliated with the madressah, for allegedly collecting funds and donations for a banned militant outfit.

The Counter Terrorism Department said in the charge sheet that the mosque and madressah were built on an amenity plot meant for a park in Maymarabad, Surjani Town.

The court questioned how the mosque/madressah was built without permission of the SBCA and all other utilities were provided to the illegally built madressah, adding that the government also appointed an administrator on such property and also paid salaries to the staff deputed at such mosque/madressah.

At the outset of the hearing, administrator for the madressah Musharraf Ali placed some documents on record which showed that the provincial government had taken over the madressah in pursuance of different notifications.

The court observed that before taking over the property in question, its legal status was not checked by the deputy commissioner concerned which was a great failure on his...