Rejecting the petition to suspend the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision to seal the Monal Restaurant situated over Islamabad’s Margalla Hills, the Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday issued notices to the federal government and other respondents in the case for assistance, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan, heard the petition filed by the owner of the restaurant. 

Justice Ahsan remarked that whatever had been decreed by the IHC could not be suspended now. “The court will maintain the status quo in the case,” he added. 

During the hearing, Makhdoom Ali Khan, counsel for the restaurant owner, told the court that the Capital Development Authority (CDA) team had sealed the eatery well before the IHC could release its order in writing.

He further argued that the high court had given the order to seal Monal despite the fact that the case involving both the restaurant and the CDA was sub judice. “The court did not even take the pain of collecting evidences before pronouncing the decision,” he said, and added, “Monal was not even party to the case. It was the IHC which had dragged the restaurant into it by taking suo moto notice of the case.”

He also pointed out that nobody had approached the high court, seeking orders for sealing of the restaurant.  

The SC then adjourned hearing of the case until next week. 

On 11 January, 2022, 24News reported that the IHC had ordered sealing of Monal after it reached the conclusion that the restaurant had been built on an encroached land.  

Reporter Amanat Gishkori