Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected a report submitted by the defense secretary about businesses on military lands and has ordered the demolitions of two structures with immediate effect.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed heard the petition on military lands.
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed said that all the land of the cantonments must be restored to its original condition.
“Allotting houses or plots, cinemas, wedding halls, schools and home to high-ranking army officers do not in any way serve defense purposes. Cantonments are just for strategic purposes,” the judge remarked.
The secretary told the court that they had removed marquees for weddings on military land in Karachi. The armed forces have decided to stop commercial activities on military and cantonments lands, he said.
However, the court found the report unsatisfactory. It allowed the Defense Secretary to withdraw the report for resubmission.
The chief justice said that all illegal buildings in Karachi are being demolished and it is not possible to spare illegal military constructions. “If we spare military’s illegal constructions, how could we demolish all other structures” constructed in breach of the law, the CJP said.
The CJP issued orders for the immediate demolition of a wall adjacent to the Kala Pul and the Grand Convention hall.
The chief justice further remarked that schools and wedding halls have also been set up at Faisal Base
“If a wedding guest takes off and rips down the runway, how will it be handled?” he asked.
“It seems airbases will be closed and commercial activities will be started.”
“State land cannot be exploited. The army is there to defend the country, not to run businesses,” the judge said.
The court told the defense secretary that once strategic purposes is achieved, land must be returned. “If Masroor air base is being emptied, then it should be returned. Businesses can’t just be opened there. Faisal air base has a wedding hall,” he said
The court said all the rules and regulations of the Army will be reviewed under the Constitution and all the land must be restored to its original condition.
The court ordered the defense secretary to submit a report within four weeks after implementing the court order. At the last hearing, the apex court had instructed the defense secretary to submit a policy document signed by all services chief on the use of military lands for commercial purposes.
