ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) Tuesday reserved the decision on the review petitions regarding its decision to close restaurants including Monal and LaMontana in Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) in Islamabad.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez, comprising Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan heard the review plea filed by Monal and LaMontana restaurants.
During the hearing, Naeem Bukhari, representing LaMontana, argued that the decision to close the restaurant within MHNP was not voluntary. He suggested that the owners were pressured into compliance with only two options — immediate closure or a grace period.
The CJP Qazi Faez Isa remarked that the order was passed with the consent of the restaurant owners. Naeem Bukhari responded that the LaMontana restaurant had different shareholders, who weren’t given an effective hearing.
“My client, Doctor Muhammad Amjad has 66% shares of the LaMontana and the verdict was announced without listening to him as he was abroad at the time,” Bukhari added.
During the proceeding, intense exchanges happened between the chief justice Isa and Bukhari. However, after the heating, Bukhari apologized to the court for his loud tone during the session.
Later, a three-member apex court bench reserved the verdict and adjourned the hearing.
