ISLAMABAD: After the completion of construction work, a two-lane road in front of headquarters of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) finally opened for traffic in compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court.
The road was closed by the agency in 2008 following the terrorist attacks on several government buildings.
Former Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice of the closure of a road in Aabpara area of the city on the pretext of security in March 2018. The notice was taken while the Supreme Court was hearing cases related to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
On January 3, during the hearing of the case, a representative of the Ministry of Defence informed the then Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar that the road had been handed over to Capital Development Authority (CDA), however, maintenance work was still being performed.
A CDA official told the court that one side of the road was under the ministry but they were trying to expand the road. At this, CJP remarked that orders were not being acted upon. He said that the court had ordered to clear all roads in Pakistan but given exemptions to “them” as they are special.
The CJP had also directed the CDA to submit an application explaining that it has not been given control of both sides of the road and attach pictures as documentary evidence.
In October 2018, the apex court had given the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) four more weeks to reopen the Shahrah-e-Suharwardy at Aabpara junction but the road was remained closed due to non-completion of construction work.
Earlier in July 2018, the Supreme Court had given two months’ time to the agency to clear a roadblock on a portion of the said road outside its headquarters.
