ISLAMABAD: A three-member Supreme Court bench on Monday expressed its dismay with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for not implementing its verdict and taking no action against former CDA chairman Kamran Lashari and other officials, in a land scam case.
Lashari is accused of allowing illegal commercial activities in F-9 Park, Islamabad, and leasing out prime state land for 33 years at a nominal price.
The bench consisting Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday was hearing contempt of court petitions filed by former PML-N senator Saadia Abbasi and others against CDA, contending that the authority had not implemented the court’s orders regarding the end to commercial activities in the F-9 Park.
The court directed CDA to inform it today (Tuesday) about the steps taken to ensure implementation of the court’s decision and the action taken against Lashari and other officials. Appearing on notice, CDA’s lawyer Afnan Kundi told the court that an application for investigation against Lashari had been submitted to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) even before the court ordered action against him. However, NAB had not submitted a reply so far.
The chief justice noted that CDA’s application to NAB against Lashari did not carry the names of other officials, who were equally involved in the scam. He said instead of naming other officials specifically, the word “others” was used in the letter written to NAB.
The chief justice said he was receiving dozens of applications against CDA’s corruption daily, whereas dozens of such cases against the authority were pending for adjudication before various courts. The court also disallowed Abdul Hafeez Pirzada to appear on behalf of Kamran Lashari, since the former CDA chairman did not turn up despite being notified. In her contempt of court petitions, Saadia Abbasi contended that CDA was not implementing the decisions of the apex court pertaining to the ending of commercial activities in F-9 Park.
On June 4, the Supreme Court, while entertaining a petition by Saadia Abbasi highlighting violation of the apex court’s 2006 verdict which had banned all kind of commercial activities in public parks, had given an authoritative judgment over commercial activities in F-9 Park.
The court had declared establishment of a fast food outlet at Fatima Jinnah Park, Sector F-9 Islamabad, contrary to Article 18 of the constitution read with CDA Rules 1960 and ordered its demolition within three months.
