Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the federal government to submit its comments on an application filed against deforestation in the premises of Margalla Hills National Park.

The top court asked the federal government as to why orders were not being complied with if the crushing and deforestation were prohibited in the premises of the park and buffer zones around it.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali had taken cognisance of the illegal quarrying, stone crushing and felling of trees after taking notice of a May 19 television talk show that highlighted the continued quarrying of the Margalla Hills by some influential mafia as well as by cement factories.

The host disclosed that illegal stone blasting and crushing had been going on unabated for 35 years in a union council of Abbottabad, destroying the green hills.

A three-judge bench of the top court, headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, on Thursday resumed the hearing of a suo motu case (SMC) on the issue.

During the hearing, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mines and minerals director general submitted a progress report and informed the court that a ban on illegal crushing has been imposed to comply with the court’s earlier orders. He said that illegal crushing was no longer being carried out in any part of the province.

He further claimed that inspection teams had been formed to visit and inspect those plants where legal crushing was being carried out. He added that those plants, which were posing threats to the environment, had been shut down.

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar asked whether the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary through an affidavit would own the claim that illegal crushing was not being carried out in any area of province.

He further observed that the court could not allow the quarrying that was causing environmental pollution, and added that the court’s judgement pertaining to the instant matter was at hand and it should be implemented.

He further observed that it was the responsibility of the government to implement the court’s orders in matters of public importance.