Larger bench decision challenged in SC

Petitioner submits monuments are at stake with present construction conditions

LAHORE: A review petition was moved in the Supreme Court Lahore Registry on Tuesday, challenging a large bench’s decision which allowed the construction of the Orange Line Metro Train Project.

The petitioner said the larger bench of the Supreme Court had ignored points mentioned in Lahore High Court’s judgment on the project. All the historical monuments along the route are at stake, he said.

The petitioner said the points mentioned by the Supreme Court larger bench over the protection and safety of historical monuments were insufficient. He submitted that the integrity of the monuments was at stake due to the present conditions allowed by the top court.

In addition to this, he added, the Punjab government was not following the directions of the Supreme Court. Therefore, the great heritage of Lahore, acknowledged by the International community, was at stake, he argued.

The lawyer said that all the relevant departments had been informed about the possible danger to national heritage which fell on the route of the train project. He asked the court to review the judgment and restrain the government from carrying out the project.

As many as 11 historical monuments, including Chaburji and GPO, fall on the route due to which the Lahore High Court had ordered a stay on the project in 2016.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2018.