ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court Thursday directed the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) to remit the amount received in foreign remittance in the Supreme Court account, maintained for Bahria Town Limited Karachi (BTLK), to the federal government and the balance amount is transferred to the Sindh government. The apex court also ordered the bank to convey the confirmation of transferring of amounts to the federal and the Sindh governments accounts to the Registrar Supreme Court.
However, the court dismissed the request of Advocate General Sindh to also give the amount of foreign remittance to provincial government. The Chief Justice told that if the Sindh government wants that amount as well then it should approach the federal government.
A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Qazi Faez Isa, and comprising Justice Amin ud Din Khan and Justice Athar Minallah issued the directions while hearing the Bahria Town Limited applications that instalment payment be not received as the Malir Development Authority has not allotted the promised land of 16,896 acres for developing their housing society on it. The bench turned down the BTLK applications.
The apex court through its order dated 21st March 2019 had fixed Rs460 billion for the land, provided by Malir Development Authority. The consent order stipulated that payments will be made by the Bahria Town alone. The order mentioned the period within which it was to be paid, the mode of its payment, and that if two consecutive installments or three installments in toto were not paid it would constitute a default.
The court was informed that of the agreed amount Rs460 billion total amount received to-date in the Supreme Court account was Rs65 billion.
National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Prosecutor General requested the court to pass an order regarding 190 million UK Pounds received during the PTI government, but that was deposited in the Supreme Court account.
The Chief Justice said; “We are conscious of our jurisdiction and want to clarify that the Supreme Court order 21- 03-2019 subsists, and if any party does not comply that order then the order itself is clear what has to happen and appropriate action would follow.”
The Chief Justice said as none of the parties came forward despite its orders. It would be wrong that this court retained the amount which is received in the Supreme Court account. Therefore, order that the amount be remitted to the federal government and the Sindh government along with the mark-up.
