SC orders closure of Monal and other restaurants in Margalla Hills.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has mandated the closure of Monal and all other restaurants operating within Islamabad’s Margalla Hills National Park.
This directive, issued on Tuesday, came from a bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Qazi Faez Isa, who dismissed a report submitted by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The Supreme Court ordered the closure of all the eateries in the #MHPN including Monal Restaurant in #Islamabad.
The directives came in response to a March 11 court order in which it had sought the complete record of the land ownership of the restaurant. pic.twitter.com/OCnHFbrBM1— Faiz Khan (@faizkh01234) June 11, 2024
The court has given the administration a 90-day deadline to shut down the restaurants.
In its decision, the Supreme Court highlighted that commercial activities are not permissible within the National Park.
The court further recommended that affected restaurant operators be considered for land leasing opportunities outside the park’s boundaries.
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During the proceedings of the Monal Restaurant case, Chief Justice Isa noted that the court had also requested information on several other establishments, including the Sports Club Pak-China Center and the Arts Council National Monument.
He commented on the transparency of CDA officials and questioned the comprehensiveness of their report.
Justice Isa speculated whether the Supreme Court building and the CDA office might also be situated within the Margalla National Park, wryly suggesting that if so, the CDA should order the demolition of its own structures.
He pointed out that the existence of numerous restaurants near Monal was widely known globally, except to the CDA, which seemed oblivious to this fact.
