IHC seeks reply from federal govt on Roosevelt Hotel closure

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has sought a reply from the federal government over the closure of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) owned Roosevelt Hotel in New York, ARY News reported on Monday.

The plea against the closure of PIA’s iconic hotel was heard by Justice Aamir Farooq.

At the beginning of the hearing, the counsel of the complainant, Advocate Tariq Asad stated that the government has planned to transform hotel into apartments and offices.”Roosevelt Hotel has its traditional importance and the transformation will cost more to the government.”

He further stated that US President Donald Trump has also shown his interest in buying the hotel.

Justice Aamir Farooq directed the assistant attorney general of Pakistan to inform the court about the policy of the federal government on the Roosevelt Hotel after consultation.

Later, the hearing was adjourned for a week.

Last month, Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan had refuted reports circulating in certain quarters regarding the sale of PIA’s Roosevelt Hotel in New York.

The Roosevelt Hotel, established in 1924, is among the historic hotels in the United States and is situated in the luxurious downtown area of Manhattan