[GEO.TV] The Chief Justice of Pakistain (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed on Tuesday questioned the military for conducting commercial activities on government land and said that the laws under which the army engages in commercial activities are "unconstitutional".The chief justice made the observation while hearing a case against commercial activities on cantonment land.He asked how the army can even conduct commercial activities on state land.
Secretary Defence retired Lt Gen Mian Hilal appeared before the court today and presented a report which was declared "unsatisfactory" by the court.
During the hearing, the chief justice asked whether building cinemas, wedding halls, schools and houses fulfil any defence-related purposes.
The chief justice noted that all illegal buildings are being demolished in Bloody Karachi
...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
. He further noted thon the lam walls have been erected on Karsaz road and the service road has been pushed further away from the road.
He said cantonment land cannot be divided into different categories.
Justice Ahmed remarked that the Pearl Marquee and Grand Convention Hall are still standing.
"The wall running alongside Kala Pul and the Grand Convention Hall must be knocked down today," he said.
"Large walls have been constructed on Karsaz and Rashid Minhas road for advertisements. This is state land," he added.
Cinemas, petrol pumps, housing societies, shopping malls and marriage halls are not for defence purposes, the chief justice said, asking the attorney-general to inform the court "how the Ministry of Defence can restrict their use to defence purposes".
Justice Ahmed said this practice is "found on cantonment board lands all over the country".
"CSD has also been made an open, commercial department store," he said, referring to the Canteen Stores Department chain of retail stores headquartered in Rawalpindi.
"A building was erected on Gizri Road overnight. We had barely woken up in the morning and they constructed the building," he continued.
The chief justice said that it is "not possible to allow the army's illegal constructions to stand". "If we let these remain, how will we demolish the others?" he remarked.