Army doing business on defence land: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa has remarked that the army has started wedding halls and other businesses on the land given to them for military purpose.

The Supreme Court heard a case against commercial activities on defence lands.

The chief justice sought assurance from the Attorney General for Pakistan that the army will not do business (on defence land) and everyone should stay within their mandate.

The chief justice also sought assurance that the army only does defence work, not business. “The army should do its work and the courts should do their work,” the chief justice remarked. To which, the Attorney General for Pakistan said that the principle is that everyone should do their own work.

Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa said that if you have such instructions, then assure the court in this regard.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar said that when the five-storey building was being built, the Evacuee Property Board was watching as spectator?

The chief justice remarked that without the collusion of the Sindh Building Control Authority, illegal constructions were not possible, the assets of the inspectors and senior officers of the SBCA should be checked.

The chief justice further said that the assets of all the registrars of Karachi should also be audited by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and the amount of assets exceeding the income should be given to the residents of the buildings that have been sealed.

Later, the hearing was put off for a brief time.

After the hearing resumed, the Supreme Court said that illegal constructions and residential buildings were being commercialized in Karachi.

The court said that the builders take the profits and go. The court said that the Sindh Building Control Authority turns a blind eye during construction and it reaches to seal the building after it was completed.

The court remarked that the rights of the residents were infringed upon by sealing the building after it was completed.

The court said that a written board should be hung during the construction and the details of the approval of the building should be recorded.

The Supreme Court said that the Sindh Building Control Authority cannot use the situation for its own benefit and it should not delay in issuing the certificate of completion of the building.

Later, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period.