Islamabad January 31 (Online): The Supreme Court (SC) ruled out the verdict announced by the Lahore High Court (LHC) declaring Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RRUDP) illegal, and instead ordered the Punjab government to résumé work on the project.
The LHC had declared the RRUDP illegal while announcing the verdict on pleas challenging the project last week. After this, the provincial government reached out to the apex court seeking nullification of LHC’s verdict.
During Monday hearing, Justice Aijazul Hassan Lanjar inquired about the flaws in the LHC verdict. However, Punjab Advocate General Ahmed Awais couldn’t answer the court’s question, only to draw Justice Lanjar’s ire.
Justice Muzahir Naqvi remarked while addressing Punjab AG Awais that it seemed like he had come unprepared for the hearing.
At this, the provincial advocate-general informed the court that the Punjab government was not a party in the case LHC announced the verdict for.
“There were 18 petitions [challenging the RRUDP] in total. Not being a party in only one petition doesn’t make a difference,” Justice Lanjar remarked.
He said that the Punjab government had presented its stance in the high court.
“Don’t go into technicalities,” the judge warned the government lawyer, directing him to give a solid argument.
Justice Lanjar further stated that the case records suggested that the land acquisition for RRUDP had also been challenged in the petitions, therefore, the government’s lawyers should refrain from making false statements before the court.
The government’s lawyers managed to move the court to rule out the LHC’s verdict.
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