ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday ordered closure of Monal and all other restaurants situated in the Margalla Hills National Park in Islamabad.
The top court ordered that all restaurants within the National Park must be completely shut down within three months.
The Chief Justice of Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa dismissed the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) report and directed the closure of all restaurants within three months.
The court remarked that the National Park should not be exploited for commercial ventures and urged the authorities to relocate affected restaurants to areas outside the park through land leasing arrangements.
During the proceedings on the Monal Restaurant case, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa highlighted that the court had requested a comprehensive report on several other establishments. He cited examples such as the Sports Club Pak-China Center and the Arts Council National Monument mentioned in the report, commending the transparency of the CDA officials.
Justice Isa questioned whether the Supreme Court building and the CDA office also fell within the bounds of the Margalla National Park, suggesting that if so, the Authority should consider demolishing its own structures.
He further emphasized the proliferation of restaurants around Monal, criticizing the CDA’s apparent lack of awareness regarding the issue, contrasting it with global awareness of such matters.
