An attractive view of lush green Margallah Hills in Federal Capital City. PHOTO: APP
The court ordered a halt to any construction and digging into the hills.
The Supreme Court also asked the Chairman Capital Development Authority (CDA) to form a committee that will conduct a survey regarding the Margalla Hills National Park and prepare a report. The report is to be submitted to the registrar of the Supreme Court within two weeks.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry remarked that progress on developmental work is appreciated, but preservation of national and environmental heritage should also be given importance. He further added that if a tunnel is dug through the hills, it will serve as a passageway for heavy goods traffic.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) had argued the construction of a tunnel would not harm the spirit of Margalla Hills Park.
The government had been considering the construction of a tunnel through the Margalla Hills - connecting Islamabad to Haripur - as a part of Pakistan-China trade corridor.
NGOs and other social and environmental organisations claim that going ahead with the tunnel will give rise to environmental and health issues.
Following the controversy which surrounded the project, Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had taken suo motu notice, addressing concerns of various factions.
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Good job to play safe only for the elites, real issues of national parks like the one ion Gilgit timber worth billions was involved nobody from the fashion TV ever talked. It was perhaps only a few brave women, Dr Anees and one or 2 more that did raise voices that were unheard but the timber mafia threat to Gilgit national Parks looms
When I visited the successors in law of the defunct Ministry of Environment a number of times I was told by the person heading it that He was not sure if he has the right to exist as he was one of the team members who crafted the devolution. plan in the PPP government. He wanted to keep a furtive secrecy on the Tunnel issue and wanted to close a part of his Ministry that dealt with forests and wildlife. IS then the own existence of the Climate Ministry justified if al that is done has to be done by NGOs and Courts ?
I always appreciate the Tribune for the environmental coverage KEEP is Up
On same lines IUCN must convene an APEC All Parties Environmental Conference to ahve a common stand to maintain sanctity of all other national parks of Pakistan
Member National Assembly Maryam one of the great environmentalists dared raise issue of 3 National Parks of the Gilglit Baltistan in the floor of the National Assembly she could call spade a spade despite the wishes of her own Minister sitting in Ministry of Kashmir Affairs. Yet 4 million illegal timber was moved down the country despite a ban by the present PM Mr Nawaz Sharif all this happens in the last 2-3 months. If the elitists so called Roedaad Hills Club is sincere with environment and nature can it dare arrange a meeting with Secretary Ministry of Climate change the Ministry mandated to deal with forestry affairs under the law--y the - I say they will never as never did the ICUN another elitists club for the rich by the rich and against the poor.
I feel pity on the middle classers media persons and environmentalists who unconsciously work for the elites and against the poor forest dwellers. I can vouch that it is either PTI or PMLN who will address rights poor voters who live in forests. Maybe Qazi Asmat Isa who commands lots of respect can help I doubt that the RHC Roedaad Hills Club has any concern other than their backyard Margalla Hills
I dont understand this. How much harm would a tunnel do to the National Park? Not much. It would simply pass through the hill without causing any damage to the scenic beauty or flora or fauna. But yes, the increased traffic passing through Islamabad would disturb the 'peaceful' life of the rich and beautiful of Islamabad
International Union for Conversation of Nature ICUN stopped a hypothetical project that nobody ever knew and that too only the portion of the park that serves the elitist Hills Party. Who will care that the part of the park where damage more than a tunnel has already been done already in the portion near the Guns club and Islamabad Club. Does thois order restrain CDA from align a tunnel or is it overarching ?
I agree if we are sincere then not just the tunnel but the extravagant restaurants all should be razed. Inaction will reveal the hypocrisy of the Margall Hills Society. Does the Hills Society care for more important national parks? do they know the relationship of these parks with the poor nomadic tribes that depend on these forests now converted to parks
"Illegal Timber continues unabated" and "Parting Gift of PM to Timber Mafai" also "Sanctioned environmental rape" were excellent press coverage by the Tribune on the illegal timber for National Parks in Gilgit Baltistan also the blogs by Aifa Salam on the illegal timber impacting other parks cannot be ignored. Can the group that championed this case in the Supreme Court dare raise their voices on other national parks with more high biodiversity value ?
How come orders of PMLN Prime Minister on Gilgit Timber smuggling was ignored by SC and no action was taken While the elitists' club small protest was taken up so quickly by SC
While elite NGOs enjoy a party on this success but do they know the real implications: 1. Margalla Hill National Park notification includes Shakarparian area 2 Trendy restaurants not just those around Monal but also including Lok virsa and china friendship should be razed now in compliance to the SC decision 3. But why will SC do this? simply because these restaurants are near the poorer areas of G sectors, SC cares for the elites who are on the side of F sectors including the roedad Hills society 4 List item is why clear fraud done by the sitting Ministry of Kashmir and Climate change by ignoring clear orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to cancel the farewell gift of last PM Mr raja Parvez Ashraf and allowing free fall movement of timber to down country
in the last three months timber totalling 2 million feet was moved to Lahore market for a windfall profit. Does anyone know how much from Deosai National Park was lost. Who cares these roeadad hills society never cares for anything but their luxury side of Margall Hills Park
Bad decision. Now I realize why big companies dont come here for business. Every big project cones to an end like this why. CJ please take suo moto for kala bagh and either order to shut it completly becausr nation is devided and same for bhasha dam.
I don;t know why we need a tunnel in the first place. It doesn't even make an economical sense because it will take 10s of billions of dollars to have this stretch plus the road/highway network to connect it to motorway system. Also it will pass through the middle of ISB creating traffic and security havoc. All this just to cut down at the max 50km/45min of travel/time although existing highway network already exist from Abbotabad via Hasanabdal/Taxila which is connected to ISB-Peshawar motorway which bypasses ISB too. The need is to extend motorway up north to Abbotabad and beyond to create economic corridor.
These NGOs believe in "If they dont have bread, give them cake to eat"
Does anyone remember "Lahore bachao movement" which protested against canal expansion? Tell me if canal expansion has benefited masses or not? Ask people of hazara how much benefits they could have extracted from this tunnel.
This man in SC is purtely against Pakistani interests When ever Law enforcement acted against enemy agents or Terrorists he get them out of jail Not a single terrorist get hanged in his tenure. He mostly acted upon the projects whom directly developing Pakistani Economy or in a project where there is a chance of good commissons and it was not offered to him so he will be there in between development work for suo motto.
Off course when ever you talk a trade with China this means prosperity to Pakistan, and Certainly this hits the US interests in the area. Automatically the US flag carrier the NGOs and INGOs whom mostly get the feed from USAid and UN should be activated like ya see in the case of Malala within hours they were activated. If there is a disaster like flood or quake they will be started like diesel engines and took days to activate but in these kinds of issues they are the first to hit Pakistan.
Excellent!
Bravo. Thankyou Supreme Court. I am witness to the beauty and wild-life of the Margalla Hills, and also we are all witnesses to how Murre and Nathia Gali hills, among many others, have been Destroyed, Torned and Raped to make money for the rich and powerful.
Save Margalla Hills from the same fate.
Totally incredible! Sensible decisions too are made in this country.
The SC should not handle this on a tunnel by tunnel basis least its labelled as a tunnel vision judiciary. It should force implementation of proper land use organizations free of manipulation even from, yes, even from the judges.
Margalla tunnel is the best way to keep beauty of the hills and develop nearby areas but elite of Islamabad would not tolerate common people crossing their sectors. SC has sided with elites which do not like common people around them. If roads and tunnels are bad for environment then why people are allowed to live on hills and mountains.
what about arsalan iftikhar's sou motu action??
Bad News for M/s Riaz & Developers Inc!