The Islamabad High Court Friday ordered to raze to the ground Pakistan Navy’s Sailing Club along Rawal Lake in Islamabad.
Announcing the verdict which was reserved a day earlier, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah declared the construction of Navy’s Sailing Club and farmhouses as illegal. The chief judge ordered to bring down the sailing club within three weeks and submit a report in the court.
In the judgment, Justice Athar Minallah remarked that it was not in Navy’s powers to join any real estate venture. Neither it was in Capital Development Authority’s powers to issue a No Objection Certificate for building naval farmhouses. On Thursday, the court had reserved its verdict on the petition filed by citizen Zeenat Saleem against the naval farmhouses and the sailing club built in the federal capital.
During the hearing when the Chief Justice asked member Estate, Capital Development Authority whether the department he was representing would issue an NOC to the IHC judges if they wanted to do any business, the member replied that no such permission could be granted if it was not sanctioned by the law.
Justice Minallah asked the member Estate whether the Navy’s Sailing Club was still sealed.
