SC issues contempt notice to Monal restaurant owner, seeks details on Margalla Hills development

Apex court says Afzal's anti-SC campaign falsely claimed court's decision caused his employees' unemployment

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan on Thursday issued a contempt of court notice to Luqman Ali Afzal, the owner of Monal Restaurant, over a propaganda campaign against the court. 

The court also requested details from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province within two weeks regarding Dino Valley in the Margalla Hills National Park. The hearing focused on commercial activities and housing societies in Margalla Hills. 

The SC's order noted that the government had withdrawn the notification transferring control of the Wildlife Management Board to the Ministry of Interior. The respondents had agreed in court that the restaurants would be relocated from the National Park area.

The court stated that Afzal had campaigned against the SC, falsely claiming that the court's decision had led to the unemployment of his employees. 

The court also noted that the Prime Minister’s Office had withdrawn the notification regarding the Wildlife Management Board and emphasised that the PM Office should not be disrespected. The matter is left to the government to determine whether the advisory was in the public or personal interest.

The attorney general has been directed to submit a written reply on the issue. During the proceedings, the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP)  Qazi Faez Isa inquired about Afzal’s whereabouts from his brother, Secretary Cabinet Kamran Ali Afzal, who was unaware of his location.

The court expressed concern over the absence of lawyers Makhdoom Ali Khan and Salman Akram Raja, remarking that senior lawyers often appear briefly to obtain stay orders but are seldom seen thereafter. 

The CJP further questioned the chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) about advertisements for a private housing society. The chairman responded that he had only seen these ads after the issue was raised.

The CJP asked if the CDA would act against the private housing society only after public exploitation or if a contempt of court case should be initiated against the CDA. The chairman stated that the housing society fell under the jurisdiction of K-P.

Advocate Shahkhawar, representing the housing society, claimed that the society was within K-P jurisdiction and that the advertisements displayed in Islamabad were a result of an officer’s approach to sponsorship. He also stated that the society was being established on his client's personal land.

The court questioned whether a contempt of court notice should be served to the society owner for possibly misleading the public by associating the society with the army without properly noting the owner’s retirement status. 

DG Giliat and Pine City owner Captain (retd) Saddiq Anwar appeared before the court. The CJP reminded that the SC had ruled that no constructions should be permitted in Margalla Hills. The court then adjourned further hearings of the case.