ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan declared all agreements between Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and the Eden Housing Society ‘null and void’.
A three-member bench of the apex court under Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar issued orders while hearing the case in Islamabad.
Chief Justice reflected on the complaints brought to him by affected by the multi-billion housing scheme.
“Some 11,716 people have been affected by the Eden Garden Housing Scheme, and [around] 60,000 people from Lahore have been looted [in its name]. Meanwhile, those behind this scheme have fled after pocketing Rs13 billion.”
Chief Justice asked the DHA representative
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“Is it the Army’s job to develop housing societies?”
“The army’s job is to protect the country’s borders, not to participate in commercial activities,” CJP added.
“It seems that you people [the DHA] run your business by using widows and martyrs as a shield, and you pocket royalties [in their name],” Justice Nisar added.
“We should [perhaps] issue an order for DHA to acquire land and allot plots to the affected people [in the Eden Housing Society case] within three months. Whoever is owed whatever should receive their due.”
CJP ordered DHA to release the payments to the affectees within three months with all due, whatsoever.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar is the first Chief Justice of Pakistan to account Pakistan Army on Defence Housing Authority (DHA).