In rejecting a report submitted by the defence secretary on the subject, the Supreme Court stated that military territory utilised for commercial purposes should be returned to the government.
The chief justice ordered the defence secretary, Lt Gen (retd) Mian Hilal, to produce a new report within four weeks during the hearing of the case involving the development of commercial properties on land assigned for defence purposes.
The CJP stated that military territory could not be used for purposes other than defence under the law. “These areas would be returned to the government if they are not used for defence purposes,” the CJP said, adding that the government owned the lands.
Cinemas, marriage halls, gas pumps, housing societies, and shopping malls are being built on the defence land, according to CJP Gulzar Ahmed. He went on to say, “These [constructions] are not for defence objectives.”
