Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday summoned the Defense Secretary and directed him to appear in person on the next hearing in the case pertaining to illegal constructions in the Margalla Hills National Park beyond the allotted area.

The court also asked the Defense Secretary and Capital Development Authority Chairman to submit affidavits regarding the matter.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard the case filed by a citizen against illegal construction in the national park.

The court expressed annoyance with the Additional Attorney General and said the law officer was speaking against the law as there was no rule of law in the Federal Capital.

The court observed that if there was a matter of a slum area then everybody speaks about laws.

The court asked that why wasn’t any disciplinary action taken against the official who failed to render their legal responsibility. The court instructed the federal government and the Secretary Defence to fix the responsibility after probing the illegality.

The Chief Justice asked whether a wall could be constructed without the approval of CDA.

The court instructed the CDA to get back the possession of the golf course and inform it upon the next hearing. The bench observed that not even an inch of construction other than the allotted land could not be tolerated. The court also inquired that what steps had been taken against encroachments in Sector E-10.

The representative of the Defence Ministry said the land had been purchased for the construction of a Defence complex.

The court said this money belonged to the public and the land was allotted by the state.

Additional Attorney General said the construction of the wall had been stopped on the directives of this court.

The bench adjourned further hearing till January 11, with the above instructions.