ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court Tuesday restored the petition of Wattan Party against granting 18 acres land for the expansion of American embassy in the federal capital.
A three-member bench headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja heard Wattan Party petition. Barrister Zafarullah representing Wattan Party informed the court that a bench headed by Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in his presence heard the case and dismissed for non-prosecution.
Wattan Party had filed the petition in 2009 and made federation, through cabinet secretary, secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Capital Development Authority (CDA) as respondents.
The petitioner through that application had requested the Supreme Court to stop the respondents from selling lands to Americans and allowing them to rent house in Islamabad. “Islamabad is very strategic place, its occupation amounts to occupation of whole nation,” the petition says.
It said that the USA embassy in Islamabad already has 38 acres lands and therefore there was no need of allotting 18 acres lands.
Wattan Party had also opposed to lease out 700,000 hecters agriculture land to Arab countries. “The Arab will not only occupy our lands, but will deprive our poor peasants of their land holding,” it added.
During the proceeding, Barrister Zafarullah argued that no foreign mission be allowed to get land more than their diplomatic mission requirements. Similarly, no foreign country be allowed to have military or similar bases in Pakistan, which undermines the sovereignty of Pakistan. The court after his arguments accepted the petition and adjourned it for indefinite period.