The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday reserved a verdict on petitions against the construction of a Hindu temple in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

IHC judge Justice Amir Farooq heard the petitions against the construction of the temple in Islamabad. In response to a query from Justice Amir Farooq, CDA officials maintained, “It was not yet known but the map of the temple had not come up for approval.”

The CDA officials said approximately four kanals of land was allotted in 2017 and it was handed over to Hindu Panchayat in 2018.

The CDA officials told the court that the land was allotted after the proposals came from Islamabad administration, Special Branch and Ministry of Religious Affairs and Inter-Faith Harmony.

Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mahmood took the position that the government has not yet provided any funding for the construction of the temple.

The CDA has already halted construction of the temple amid revelations that the building plan of the temple has not been approved by the CDA and no NOC was issued for the construction of the temple. The temple was also not approved by the CDA Planning Services.

Amid the pressure mounting on the federal government to stop the construction of the temple, the PTI-led government has now decided to seek advice from Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) on providing funds for the construction of the Hindu temple.