Rawalpindi Division

Rawalpindi | Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Marka e Haq Square, a key project of the signal-free corridor in Rawalpindi. According to the Punjab government, the project was completed in just 179 days against the scheduled target of 190 days. The completed works include five underpasses, two overhead bridges and a modern pedestrian bridge.
During the inauguration ceremony, Rawalpindi’s Kachehri Chowk was named Marka e Haq Square in connection with the historic day. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif unveiled the project milestone, followed by a prayer ceremony.
The Punjab chief minister also visited the signal-free corridor and inspected the overhead bridge and other roads. She reviewed the signal-free project from Annexy Chowk to GPO Chowk. Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bharath briefed the chief minister in detail on various aspects of the project.
Officials said the signal-free corridor, established in one of Rawalpindi’s busiest areas, would facilitate the movement of more than 200,000 vehicles daily. The city’s first state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge has also been constructed at Marka e Haq Square to provide a safe passage for pedestrians.
During the briefing, it was stated that two phases of the signal free corridor from Rawat to the Motorway have been completed, while the third phase will be completed soon. Overall, a 25-kilometre-long signal-free corridor will be developed from Rawat to the Motorway, comprising nine underpasses and three flyovers.
According to the Punjab government, underpasses will also be constructed at Race Course, Charing Cross and AFIC Chowk to reduce traffic pressure in Rawalpindi and provide uninterrupted travel facilities to citizens.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said the signal free corridor would transform Rawalpindi’s urban culture. She said the government was working rapidly to modernise urban infrastructure and provide citizens with safer, faster and improved travel facilities.

Rawalpindi: [ReNews Pakistan]
Rawalpindi’s long awaited Kachehry Chowk remodeling project is expected to be opened to traffic on May 31, marking a major step toward resolving persistent congestion at one of the city’s busiest and most critical intersections.
The project includes road widening, improved traffic flow arrangements, and modern infrastructure upgrades designed to ensure smoother movement of vehicles. Kachehry Chowk has long remained a pressure point for daily commuters due to heavy traffic from multiple connecting routes.
Officials believe the completion of the project will significantly reduce traffic jams, shorten travel time, and improve safety for motorists, pedestrians, and public transport users. The upgraded intersection is also expected to benefit nearby businesses and residents who have faced daily delays due to traffic bottlenecks.
Once opened, the remodeled Kachehry Chowk is likely to provide immediate relief to thousands of commuters traveling across Rawalpindi, while also improving the overall efficiency of the city’s road network.

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan
The Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging a housing project in Murree, ruling that the plea was not maintainable under Article 199 of the Constitution.
Justice Jawad Hassan announced the reserved verdict on a petition filed by Syed Nauman Shah, who had sought to halt the project on environmental grounds, alleging violations of ecological safeguards, non compliance with Supreme Court directives, and illegal use of forest and communal land.
The petitioner argued that the housing scheme 'Commoners Sky Garden', located in Mauza Mangal and Kathar, was being developed without mandatory environmental approvals and in violation of earlier Supreme Court restrictions. He also raised concerns over deforestation and encroachment that he said could damage the fragile ecosystem of the Murree region.
In response, the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA) and other respondents maintained that all necessary approvals and no objection certificates had been obtained from relevant bodies, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA). They further informed the court that the matter was already under consideration before a special implementation bench of the Supreme Court.
In its detailed judgment, the court observed that the petitioner had not approached the relevant forums at the appropriate stage and could not invoke constitutional jurisdiction at a belated stage involving disputed facts. It also noted that a large number of allottees had already acquired vested rights and that the project had reached an advanced stage after significant investment, making judicial interference potentially disruptive.
The court further held that enforcement of Supreme Court judgments falls within the jurisdiction of the apex court itself, particularly where a dedicated implementation bench is already seized of the matter. Allowing parallel proceedings before the High Court, it added, would lead to unnecessary litigation and undermine the constitutional framework.
The petition was also found to contain vague and multiple prayers, which the court ruled are not permissible under Article 199(1 A), introduced through the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Dismissing the petition, the court allowed the petitioner to pursue remedies before the appropriate legal forum.