ISLAMABAD: During a tense Supreme Court session, Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa expressed his frustration with Cabinet Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal over the Margalla Hills National Park and Chairman Wildlife Board case.
Chief Justice Isa grilled Secretary Afzal about the notification related to the Chairman of the Wildlife Board, asking, “Why shouldn’t you be indicted?” and demanding, “Who issued the notification and on whose orders?”
Moreover, Secretary Afzal revealed that the directive to change the Chairman came directly from the Prime Minister’s office. Chief Justice Isa accused Afzal of shifting blame to protect his brother, Luqman Ali Afzal, and questioned his whereabouts. Secretary Afzal admitted he did not know where his brother was.
In addition, the Chief Justice also noted a rise in propaganda against the Supreme Court following the Margalla Hills order, questioning who was behind it and urging for accountability and transparency.
Regarding illegal land development in the Margalla Hills, Chief Justice Isa interrogated the legal representatives of a private housing society about their ownership documents.
The lawyer stated the documents were with his client, Siddique Anwar, who was expected to arrive at the Supreme Court shortly.
CJ Isa highlighted the involvement of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in the case, inquiring about the CDA officer who contacted the society’s owner. The advocate revealed that advertisements for the society, based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were displayed throughout Islamabad.
The Chief Justice criticized the government’s handling of the case, lamenting the influence of the land mafia and expressing concern over the state of governance.
He also questioned the government’s decision to return 190 million pounds from Britain to a powerful individual, criticizing the lack of accountability and expressing gratitude for active foreign agencies. In closing, he challenged critics of the judiciary to confront the court directly.
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