Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday extended its stay order till next date against the work on Bhara Kahu bypass project to the extent of Qauid-e-Azam University and also made the residents of Murree and Kashmir as respondents in the case.

Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the case filed by the professors of the said university against the Bhara Kahu project. During the hearing, the residents of Murree and Kashmir and others filed a plea seeking to become party in the above case. They adopted the stance that the bypass project was being executed to facilitate the public and prayed the court to terminate the stay order against it. The court remarked that there was no doubt that the project was for public welfare but there was a need to fulfill the legal formalities. It further said that apparently the CDA had given more valuable land to the university, adding that the university administration should make its professors aware regarding these benefits.

The lawyer for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that the CDA had submitted its case regarding the environmental evaluation of the project and it was pending with it. The court inquired that whether the CDA could continue its work on the project without the approval of EPA or whether an action against CDA official should be taken on it. The CDA’s lawyer said the stance that the petitioners were just blackmailing the civic body by stopping work on the project. The court adjourned further hearing of the case till October 28.