ISLAMABAD – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday order the demolition of lawyers chambers illegally built on a football ground in F-8 area of the capital city.
A four-member bench by Chief Justice Athar Minallah and comprising Justice Aamer Farooq, Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb issued the ruling unanimously.
The ruling, which was penned by Justice Minallah, said that lawyers and advocates violated the law by allowing the construction of their chambers. The IHC has directed Capital Development Authority (CDA) to clear the ground till March 23.
“The facts of this case are disturbing because the conduct of a few enrolled lawyers has caused reputational damage to the entire legal fraternity,” it added.
The verdict said that the illegal construction of chambers had been initiated in 2013 and it could not be restrained by the CDA due to stay order issued by the district courts.
It also observed that office-bearers of the Islamabad District Bar had allotted plots to some lawyers for chambers without getting permission from authorities concerned.
The IHC also hoped that the lawyers will remove their chambers, restoring the playground for public use, besides directing the federal government to hold a football match in the ground on Pakistan Day.
It also directed the government to “commence and complete the construction of the state of the art complex of district courts without unnecessary delay”. The Islamabad District Bar, meanwhile, will be able to submit its proposal to the CDA for “approval in relation to the Lawyers Plot, i.e., five acre plot separately allotted by the federal government for the use of the lawyers”.
“We expect that the federal government will ensure that the state of the art judicial complex is made functional before the next Pakistan Day, i.e., 23rd of March, 2022,” read the written order.
Earlier this month, a group lawyers stormed the IHC building while holding violent protest against the CDA action against the illegally-build chambers.
The court has issued contempt notices to 17 lawyers.
