CB rejects frivolous plea, imposes fine

Also clears grid station on Karachi's green belt

ISLAMABAD:

The constitutional bench of the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal challenging the rejection of a nomination paper for the presidential election and imposed a fine of Rs20,000.

The six-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminud Din Khan heard various cases on Tuesday. In one of the cases, the bench dismissed Asghar Ali Mubarak's appeal against the rejection of his nomination paper for the presidential election. The bench imposed Rs20,000 fine on the petitioner for filing a frivolous petition and directed him to submit the receipt confirming payment into the national kitty.

The constitutional bench also heard a suo motu on foreign accounts of Pakistanis. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) lawyer Hafiz Ahsan Khokar told the court that the tax collection body has presented its report. As per report, Rs880 million have been recovered while efforts are underway to recover the rest of the amount.

Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel remarked that the FBR should approach parliament if it faces difficulty in the recovery of the amount.

In another case regarding the legal and Constitutional status of Gilgit Baltistan, advocate Hamid Khan sought additional time to submit his reply. The court accepted his request and adjourned the hearing till next week.

The constitutional bench also heard a suo moto notice concerning the construction of a grid station on Karachi's green belt. The court declared that the grid station was not set up on the green belt but on a public amenity plot.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar remarked if the grid station is relocated from its current site, the entire area will be deprived of electricity. K-Electric counsel told the court that the grid station was built in 2004 on the plot reserved for public amenity in the master plan of the society. The court disposed of the case.