ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has slapped complete ban on mining without license in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The court has also summoned state minister for CADD Tariq Chaudhry due to lack of CDA rules and regulations and adjourned till next Monday the hearing of suo motu case .
A 3-member bench of SC presided over by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ejaz ul Ahsan took up the suo motu case on stone crushing in Margalla hills and trees chopping for hearing Thursday.
CJP during the course of hearing of the case remarked “ why the CDA laws have not been enacted since 1960. We will hear the case for providing benefit. There is shortage of water; We did not discharge our obligations;
He further remarked “ we are not fond of judicial activism in any way. But we will take action on negligence of duty at every cost. We are aware of our powers and we will not go beyond them.
Advocate General (AG) Islamabad said there is conflict between Punjab and Islamabad over boundaries.
CJP remarked “ Punjab, federal governments are brothers. Both brothers should sit and sort out the matter.
He observed “ if officers don’t ignore then not a single state land can be occupied illegally. I had said in 1997 there is need to rectify Pakistani laws. Court’s orders should not go to cold storage. We will take it to logic end whatever matter we take up .
The court adjourned the hearing of the case till next Monday besides summoning minister of CADD on next hearing.
Earlier the stone crushing suo motu case came up for hearing before the court. KP chief secretary and secretary mining appeared before the court.
The court after hearing the respondents imposed complete ban on unlicensed mining in KP besides ordering mining department to decide all the license related applications within 15 days. Stay order from any court will not create any hindrance for KP Mining department; .
Court further said chief secretary KP will himself monitor mining process and the responsibility for compliance of court’s orders will rest with chief secretary KP;
The court adjourned the hearing of KP Mining suo motu case till January 24.
