Islamabad’s Iconic Restaurant Announces Comeback in Margalla Hills

One of Islamabad’s most well-known restaurants is set to return to the Margalla Hills after the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) overturned a 2024 Supreme Court (SC) judgment that had ordered the demolition of restaurants operating inside the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).

The ruling clears the way for the possible reconstruction of La Montana and other affected properties, although ownership disputes will still have to be decided by the relevant trial courts.

The Supreme Court had ordered the closure of Monal and the adjacent La Montana restaurant in August 2024 to protect the biodiversity of the national park. Both restaurants ceased operations the following month, with the court also directing that their infrastructure be demolished with minimal impact on wildlife.

However, the Federal Constitutional Court has now set aside that judgment after hearing review petitions filed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI).

The constitutional bench, headed by Justice Syed Hasan Azhar Rizvi, ruled that questions related to ownership should be decided independently by trial courts without being influenced by observations made in previous judgments. Administrative matters, meanwhile, will be handled by the relevant regulatory authorities.

The FCC also instructed trial courts to decide the pending cases as early as possible.

During the hearing, Justice Rizvi observed that several important legal issues had not been properly considered in the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision, emphasizing that courts must decide cases according to the law rather than emotions.

Following the verdict, La Montana announced its return through a social media post, saying the restaurant would soon reopen in the Margalla Hills after what it described as a historic legal victory.

The court’s decision effectively removes the demolition order that had threatened the future of Monal, La Montana, and Gloria Jeans, although the final outcome of ownership disputes will depend on the decisions of the trial courts.

The Supreme Court’s original judgment had found that the restaurants were operating in violation of environmental laws and had adversely affected the national park’s ecosystem, wildlife, trees, and natural water recharge system. Those findings, however, will no longer determine the ownership disputes, which will now be heard afresh by the appropriate courts.