ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) gave a thorough ruling about building in the Margalla Hills National Forest and ruled that the Navy Golf Course’s construction was unlawful.As a result of its ruling, the high court mandated that the Ministry of Defense look into the golf course and that the Secretary of Defense perform a forensic audit to determine the financial harm to the government coffers.
The Pakistan Army Directorate’s ownership claim over 8,068 acres of land in the national park was also denied by the court.
The lease arrangement between the Pakistan Army’s Farms Directorate and Monal Restaurant was also ruled to be unconstitutional in a thorough ruling by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah.
The court ruled that state and local officials had a responsibility to safeguard the Margalla Hills.
“It is paradoxical that official institutions are also complicit in vandalising the Margalla Hills restricted area,” the IHC argued. “It is the government’s role to act immediately against others who violate those fundamental freedoms.”
The 108-page full ruling also contained the report of the Islamabad Environmental Commission.
