Islamabad agro-farms case SC directs CDA to evolve fresh policy

[Salman]

ISLAMABAD: Hearing a suo moto case pertaining to misuse of Agro Farms, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to furnish fresh policy regarding Agro Farms situated in Islamabad.
A three member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali resumed hearing of the case. During the hearing, the SC was informed that new policy regarding use of Agro Farms is under process and it would be submitted before the court. Justice Ijaz Ahmed remarked that agro farms were been used for other purpose in contradictory with their designated usage.
Of the total 504 agro-farms which have been allotted by the CDA, 201 were found violating the lease agreement. The civic body had allowed the construction of a single storey on a covered area of 4,850 square feet, but some owners of the agro-farms had constructed three to four times the allowed space. Attorney General Munir A. Malik had suggested that the much debated case regarding the illegal constructions on agro-farms should be closed and the matter should be resolved by imposing a fine on violators. Even the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has admitted that the construction on the 201 agro-farms in the federal capital was a clear violation of the civic body's bylaws. The issue came into limelight during Pervez Musharraf's tenure when a large number of political figures purchased farmhouses and used them for residential purpose. In 2011, Pervez Musharraf's farmhouse was sealed because of court orders and he is currently detained there after the district administration declared his farmhouse a sub-jail. In April 2013, the court ordered the CDA to restore all 504 farmhouses to the status envisaged in the original lease deal, but a number of owners, mainly women, appeared before the Supreme Court claiming that they had raised the construction with the permission of CDA.
SC adjourns EOBI case till Sep. 12: The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearing the matter of illegal appointments of Grade 16-20 in Employees Old age Benefit Institution (EOBI) till September 12. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, compressing of Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry resumed the hearing of the case. During the proceedings, Deputy Attorney General Dil Muhammad Alizai apprised the bench that Raja Azeem, son in law of the former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf tendered resignation which was accepted. Barrister Atizaz Ahsen, counsel for EOBI told the court that his client has submitted a report consisting of 115 pages pertaining to the current matter in the apex court.
Ahsen admitted that appointments were made in the EOBI against the rules and regulations to which the EOBI union' attorney requested the court for provision of the report copy for reply.
General Secretary of the EBOI union Syed Mubashir Ali contended that EOBI deposits belong to the poor and orphans which were spent ruthlessly.
The bench directed the EOBI' counsel Barrister Atizaz Ahsen to provide a copy of the report to the petitioner who will submit reply after going through the report on next hearing. Hearing of the case was adjourned till September 12.