The Supreme Court has ordered the closure of all restaurants operating within Islamabad's Margalla National Park, including the popular Monal restaurant.
This decisive order emerged from a case concerning the legality of these establishments within the park.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court stressed that all restaurants in the national park must be removed within three months. The court underscored that if a lease was required anywhere outside the national park, priority should be given to the affected restaurants, and that commercial activities cannot be allowed in the park.
The court also rejected the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) report on the construction within the park and summoned the authority's chairman immediately. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa voiced strong criticism of the CDA’s handling of the matter, questioning the competence of its senior officers.
He pointedly asked if CDA officials needed English classes to understand the court's requirements, and accused the authority of including irrelevant entities like the sports club, Pak-China Friendship Center and the Arts Council National Monument in their report.
The CDA lawyer said they had presented a report on the details of all construction in Margalla National Park. "This is the honesty of the CDA?"
CJP Isa further questioned the presence of the Supreme Court building in the national park, to which the CDA lawyer replied that he needed to consult a map. Justice Isa also criticized the CDA for its apparent ignorance about the number of restaurants, including Monal, operating in the park, and questioned the frequent fires on Margalla Hills. "Is the CDA office also located in the national park?" he asked.
The CDA chairman revealed there had been 21 fire incidents on the Margalla Hills this season alone, prompting Justice Jamal Mandokhel to mention a recent fire the previous night. CJP Isa inquired whether the fires were intentionally set by CDA personnel, to which the chairman admitted the presence of some “black sheep” within the organization and pledged to plant new trees during the monsoon season.
On being asked by the CJP, the chairman mentioned that helicopters for dousing the fires were requisitioned from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) with federal cabinet approval.
The Supreme Court demanded a detailed report on the other restaurants constructed around the national park.
Later, Monal Restaurant voluntarily assured to move the restaurant within three months, while all other restaurants established in the national park area have also been instructed to transfer within the same period.
“Tell us how long you will take to move the restaurant?” asked the CJP. “If you don't voluntarily move, we will order to seal it.”
The restaurant lawyer sought four months for the purpose. However, CJP Isa announced three months.
“Our aim is to ensure the protection of the national park,” the Supreme Court remarked.
Apart from the national park, all the unnecessary notices issued to all other restaurants have been terminated, the Supreme Court ruled, adding that the focus of our case is only to the extent of the National Park, Supreme Court
The court directed to shift all the restaurants located on the National Park Pir Sohawa Road within three months. All the leases given to the restaurants established in the park have been declared null and void, the court ruled.
“Stop commercial activities in the national park area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the CJP declared. A written order of judicial proceedings will be issued later by the court.
