Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed hearing a suo-moto case against the illegal crushing of Margalla Hills National Park Monday said Supreme Court would not allow illegal crushing of the Margalla hills.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed conducted hearing of a suo-moto case.

“Crushing on Margalla Hills cannot be allowed and mining cannot take place inside the Islamabad Capital Territory as ICT area covers hundreds of kilometres.

The CJP while giving remarks said directed to stop the expansion of ICT and asked authorities to stop housing societies and housing sectors around the capital city.

“Asked where crushing is happening, was it not part of the Margalla Hills area,” he asked.

The CJP was informed that the buffer zone was just 1000 metres away from the national park. The CJP remarked that all blueprints which were presented in the court are fake, as all are united.

Chief Justice said SC will not allow demolition of Margalla Hills while Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan said National Park aims to protect forest and wildlife and the mountain would not be allowed to be affected as far as ICT is concerned, adding that, national assets would not be allowed to deteriorate.

SCP resumed hearing of the case against the illegal constructions and cutting of trees on Margalla Hills National Park after Eid holidays and it is relevant to mention that court had already stopped the illegal constructions and cutting of trees.

On the other hand, during a previous hearing, Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) informed about a restaurant that has cut down 200 trees for illegal expansion in Margalla Hills. 

In the previous hearing of the case, the apex court ordered the Islamabad administration to replant trees that were felled during the attempted expansion of the restaurant.

In last hearing, Justice Gulzar Ahmed remarked the Margalla Hills, spread from Islamabad to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was declared a national park and heritage site.

The case hearing has been adjourned for one month when Syed Qalb-e-Hssan on behalf of Makhdoom Ali Khan requested to adjourn for next hearing, as Makhdom Ali Khan has to travel to Karachi in an emergency.