Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar on Friday asked authorities to first act against Prime Minister Imran Khan’s residence in Islamabad’s Bani Gala locality before acting against other illegal constructions and environmental degradation in the city’s suburbs, The Express Tribune reported.
Khan had sought the court’s attention towards encroachment and unplanned construction in Bani Gala and pollution of the Rawal Lake due to sewage.
The court told authorities to submit a report within a week on the contamination of the reservoir of Rawal Dam, near which the locality is based, because of regular dumping of solid waste. “Dangerous diseases are spreading due to this contamination,” Geo News quoted Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar as saying. “What happened to the former government’s plan to set up four treatment plants? If the project is yet to be set up, then the present government should do so.”
Referring to illegal constructions in the area, the judge said Khan should take steps to rectify the problem and set an example for others. The prime minister’s counsel, Babar Awan, said the prime minister would cooperate with the authorities to resolve the matter. “My client’s response will be submitted within 15 days,” Awan added.
Nisar expressed his dissatisfaction with Awan’s reply. “I know what your client’s response will be...the same old dubious map but the problem is that while your client is the lawful owner of the land, the map has not been approved by any authority.”
Survey of Pakistan on Monday submitted a report to the court on encroachment in Bani Gala.
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