ISLAMABAD  - The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that dozens of guesthouses in the federal capital are being run on single court stay, which had been extended for the last 13 years. The stay was granted by the high court in 2001 and in the 40 hearings it was extended. A two-member bench comprising Justice Saqib Nisar and Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa was hearing an appeal against the Islamabad High Court's order, which had vacated the stay. The court issued notices to special magistrate Islamabad and the Capital Development Authority regarding the matter for Thursday.
Advocate Naeem Bukhari, representing the owners of the guesthouses, accepted that since long the guesthouses have been run on a stay order. Justice Saqib Nisar pointed out that the stay was granted in 2001, while Justice Asif Saeed Khan Khosa said that in the 40 hearings the stay order was extended.
The court observed that the guesthouses were opened in the residential areas, where people visit at night and second day they have a breakfast and go away. Naeem Bukhari smiling said the guests also sleep in the guesthouses. He said all over the world people visit the guesthouses. Bukhari contended that they are not saying why the high court vacated the stay but want to know the reasons behind vacation of stay order. According to the CDA rules, the houses in the residential purpose could not be used for commercial purposes.  However, the guesthouses' lawyer point of view was that it was not the commercial activity. The hearing was adjourned till Thursday.