SC judge recuses himself from hearing gymkhana lease plea
Supreme Court judge Justice Faisal Arab recused himself on Tuesday from hearing a plea challenging the Sindh High Court's (SHC) verdict pertaining to the lease of Karachi Gymkhana land.
Earlier, the SHC had ordered the renewal of lease.
A three-member bench comprising Justice Arab, justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Muneeb Akhtar, was hearing the plea.
The counsel for Karachi Gymkhana administration said that justice Arab had advocated for the gymkhana before he was appointed as a judge. Following this, Justice Arab excused himself from the hearing.
In the plea, the Sindh government has maintained that the land leased to Karachi Gymkhana is worth billions of rupees, therefore it cannot be leased for just Rs5 million for another 99 years.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2020.