The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the demolition of the naval golf course located in the Margalla Hills National Park area within four weeks. The IHC has also ruled that The Monal restaurant, a scenic eatery in the Margalla Hills, is to be sealed, and asked the Ministry of Defence to ensure that the amount received in rent is deposited in the national exchequer.
The directive came on Tuesday, days after the high court declared two Pakistan Navy projects built on the hills illegal.
Rejecting the military’s claim over 8,000 acres of national parkland, IHC Chief Justice, Athar Minallah, ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to seal the Margalla Greens Golf Club, a world-class golf facility run by the Pakistan Navy, until an environmentally-friendly use can be found for it.
He has also ordered the demolition of the naval establishment within four weeks, Dawn.com reported.
The IHC interrogated the Secretary of Defense during today’s hearing and directed him to identify the officials responsible for the construction of the naval golf club.
Justice Athar Minallah has directed the CDA to investigate who had approved the construction of The Monal and other restaurants on protected lands.
These orders came during the hearing of a petition filed by environmentalist Professor Zahid Baig Mirza.
The petitioner had contended that The Monal and the naval golf club are built on encroached land, which is against the environmental laws of the country.
The IHC Chief Justice cross-examined officials regarding the “extremely shocking” state of affairs in Islamabad and said that the senior officials had ignored the encroachments in the Margalla Hills National Park.
He remarked that all the three forces had illegally built their establishments on encroached land, and suggested that the armed forces should not become controversial by violating the laws of the country.
