Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the absence of the statues of the Hindu deities from Katas Raj temples in Chakwal.

According to details, a suo moto notice was taken by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar over the removal of the statues from Katas Raj temples. Hearing the case, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan asked the lawyer of Evacuee Trust Board Property (ETBP) about the statues. The counsel responded by blaming the absence of statues on former ETBP chairman Asif Hashmi.

The counsel said that the former chairman had been involved in massive corruption and had now fled the country. Chief Justice asked the counsel why Hashmi had not been arrested as yet. He added that SC could summon Punjab’s Home Secretary and also the Federal Foreign Secretary over the issue.

The chief justice had taken the suo moto notice on this issue on November 2. The issue had been raised upon the drying out of the pond located in the temples.

It has been reported that the pond is drying out because most of the water is used by the factories nearby. SC had also summoned DG Cement counsel Salman Akram Raja on the hearing but the senior failed to appear before the court as he’s currently abroad.

Chief Justice expressed displeasure over Raja’s absence as well, saying that if he was abroad, the owner of DG Cement Mian Mansha should have come in his stead.

Chief Justice also inquired about other cement factories located nearby. The hearing was adjourned till tomorrow.