IHC seeks report in football ground encroachment case

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday sought a comprehensive report in the football ground encroachment case from the Capital Development Authority (CDA), ARY News reported.

A larger bench, comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, resumed the hearing of the case pertaining to the encroachment and illegal construction of lawyers’ chambers on the football ground in F-8.

In compliance with the court’s order, CDA’s member planning Waqar Malik appeared before the court in personnel capacity.

During the hearing, Chief Justice Athar Minallah directed the CDA to act upon its laws and asked the lawyers not to encroach the government’s land. In his remarks, Justice Aamer Farooq said that CDA was reluctant to perform its role and duties.

Earlier on February 22, the Islamabad High court had issued summons to the chief planner of the CDA over lawyer’s chambers in and around the district courts in Sector F-8.

During Thursday’s hearing, a large number of lawyers and office bearers of District Bar Association (DBA) appeared before the court.

Islamabad Bar Council Vice Chairman Haroon Rashid had said that that the petitioner, Shehnaz Butt, was not present in the court, and requested that the court dismiss the petition because the petitioner had not appeared to be following the applications.