ISLAMABAD : Islamabad High Court on Thursday has ordered to seal the Navy Sailing Club on the Rawal Lake.
\nChief Justice Athar Minallah expressed his extreme displeasure at the CDA and ordered the club to be sealed by the interior secretary through the CDA immediately.
\nHe also summoned affidavits from the CDA chairman and board members.
\nUnder what authority is the Pakistan Navy operating a commercial project, he demanded. The court ordered that it should be satisfied on the matter at the next hearing.
\nIf the club isn\u2019t sealed by the hearing next week, the cabinet secretary has to appear in court. Justice Minallah also ordered the matter to be presented before the federal cabinet.
\nThese aren\u2019t the tribal areas, this is the country\u2019s capital, he said. We appreciate your many sacrifices and respect you, he told the navy representative. This is especially because of your martyrs, he said.
\n\u201cBut no one is above the law. Not this court nor anyone else.\u201d
\nThe judge called the CDA\u2019s reply alarming and they have been unable to assert their authority. A board member of the CDA informed the court that there was no allotment letter for the land on which the club is built.
\nWhen asked what the CDA had done, he said it had issued notices. \u201cWhat do you mean you issued notices?\u201d asked Justice Minallah.\u201dGo knock down illegal buildings.\u201d
\nThe additional attorney-general told the court he wants to assist it, but Justice Minallah told him he couldn\u2019t. Go seal the building instead, he said.
\nThe board member told the court that the prime minister gave permission for construction along the Rawal Lake. Answer what I am asking you, the chief justice said.
\nHe questioned the CDA\u2019s attitude towards the poor and asked why they had a different attitude now. Tell us whether the sailing club is illegal or legal, he asked.
\nThe member called it an \u201cunapproved building\u201d. \u201cWhat does that mean? That means it\u2019s illegal,\u201d said Justice Minallah. He reminded everyone that the law will be followed as no one is above it.
\nWhen the Pakistan Navy representative asked for time to submit a reply Justice Minallah asked what he wanted time for. \u201cNo one is above the law, including this court,\u201d he said.
\n\u201cWe respect you, appreciate your sacrifices and honour your martyrs but if you do illegal things it isn\u2019t right,\u201d he said. \u201cWhy are you defending something that is indefensible?\u201d
\nHe asked why the court shouldn\u2019t initiate negligence proceedings against the CDA chairman and board members.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD : Islamabad High Court on Thursday has ordered to seal the Navy Sailing Club on the Rawal Lake. Chief Justice Athar Minallah expressed his extreme displeasure at the CDA and ordered the club to be sealed by the interior secretary through the CDA immediately. He also summoned affidavits from the CDA chairman and board […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":28037,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-134340","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n