Court calls for compliance report in 3 days

SC directs Capital Development Authority to stop McDonald's from continuing business in F-9 park.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Capital Development Authority to immediately stop McDonald’s from continuing its business in F-9 Park and submit a compliance report in three days.

While hearing the contempt of court case pertaining to the non-implementation of the apex court’s June 4 verdict, the three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, also directed the CDA to re-auction the plot within two months and call for fresh bids from interested parties in accordance with the park’s original master plan.

Counsel for Siza Foods Anwar Kamal submitted before the bench that they were ready to remove the McDonald’s logo but should be allowed to continue their business as the company invested heavily for the development and renovation of 5.26 acres of land at their own expense.

Anwar Kamal sought some more time from the court to implement the orders of the court in letter and spirit upon which the Chief Justice observed: “The court will not compromise on its orders”.

CDA counsel Afnan Kundi, apprised the court that the lease agreement of the outlet has been canceled, adding that the CDA has written to the law division to seek their advice for implementation of the court’s order in letter and spirit.

“Whenever some dishonesty has to be made, the CDA straight goes to the Law Division to seek advice from government officials,” Justice Ramday observed.

“Parks are usually for the general public but the CDA made arrangements for the elite in the park,” Justice Ramday observed while asking the counsel, “Why has only McDonalds and not other food chains set up their restaurants in public parks?”

“The culture of implementing the Supreme Court’s orders should develop in the country,” Chief Justice remarked, adding, “On the orders of this court many important buildings were demolished in Karachi and Lahore; if the court’s order was implemented, the outlet would have been closed by now”.

Afnan Kundi informed that they have sent letter to the National Accountability Bureau for taking action against Kamran Qureshi, Sajjad Bhutta, Faisal Awan, Ghulam Akbar Bhukhari and Mazhari Hassan.

The court directed the NAB authorities to initiate proceedings against the CDA officials guilty of being involved in the F-9 Park land issue without any further delay.

Kamran Lashari, ex-chairman CDA, was ordered to sign the certificate of the review petition, filed by Hafeez Pirzada on his behalf, but would argue the case in person in the next date of hearing as the court was hearing the implementation order, because he himself pleaded the case earlier.

Later the court adjourned the hearing of the case till indefinite period.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2010.