ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ruled that all restaurants within the Margalla Hills National Park (MHPN), including Islamabad’s Monal Restaurant, must close.
The orders were given in response to a court order dated March 11 that requested the full property ownership record for the eatery.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa presided over a three-person bench of the highest court, which considered the applications submitted by the Wildlife Department and the Margalla Hills-based Monal Restaurant.
Earlier on March 8, the supreme court suspended the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) decision and ordered the cafe to remove its seal.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) was requested by the court to provide original documentation pertaining to the 8,600 acres of MHPN land.
The court was told by the extra attorney general that the Military Estate Office maintains ownership of the land.
The top justice did note, however, that the property is held by the Pakistani government and not the military. He added that someone had posed a straightforward question about who owned it—the CDA or someone else.
The regulator’s report was rejected by the supreme court at today’s hearing, but the head of the CDA was immediately called.
According to CJP Isa, the court had asked the CDA for information on Monal and other eateries.
At this point, a CDA attorney stated that they had produced a report that includes every detail of every building that has been done in Margalla Hills National Park.
The additional attorney general informed the court that the land is still owned by the Military Estate Office.
Nonetheless, the chief justice acknowledged that the Pakistani government, not the armed forces, is the rightful owner of the land. He also mentioned that a direct query regarding who owned it—the CDA or someone else—had been asked.
The head of the CDA was called right away after the Supreme Court rejected the regulator’s findings at today’s session.
CJP Isa claims that the court had requested information about Monal and other restaurants from the CDA.
At this juncture, a CDA lawyer said that they had completed a report that encompasses every aspect of each building project completed in Margalla Hills National Park.
Subsequently, the Supreme Court ordered Monal and all other eateries within the National Park to move within the allotted three months.
The court stated in its remarks that safeguarding the National Park’s protection is its primary goal. It further stated that all other eateries are no longer receiving the pointless messages, with the exception of National Park.
The court declared that the National Park is its exclusive focus. “All the leases granted to restaurants located in National Park are declared null and void,” the judge said.
Additionally, CJP Isa ruled that any commercial activity in the National Park of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must end.
The Supreme Court announced that it will provide a written ruling in the Monal restaurant case at a later time.
