Lahore (Staff Report): The Supreme Court of Pakistan dismissed on Friday the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) halting work on selected sites of the Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) project.
The sources reported that the court accepted the appeal of the Punjab government and others against the LHC decision but with some conditions. The Court announced the verdict by 4:1 ratio.
On April 17, 2017 year, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan headed a five-member bench of the Supreme Court, had reserved its verdict in the case. The bench includes Justices Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Maqbool Baqar, Ijaul Ahsan and Mazhar Alam Miankhel.
It is pertinent to remember that the proceedings regarding the project had begun in the Supreme Court after the Punjab government and others had appealed a Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict ordering partial halting of construction as it was damaging ancient heritage sites of the provincial capital.
In August 2016 the LHC had ordered the suspension of construction on the $1.6 billion OLMT within 200 feet of 11 historical sites in the city to save them from damage.
The historical monuments include the Shalimar Gardens, Gulabi Bagh Gateway, Chauburji, Zebunnisa’s Tomb, Lakshmi Building and the General Post Office. These heritage sites are protected under the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance, 1985 and Antiquity Act, 1975.