Doing business not job of State, says CJP.

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court of Pakistan Thursday conditionally allowed Pakistan Railways to lease its land after getting approval of its rules from the Parliament or the federal cabinet.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial conducted hearing of review petition of the federal government against the SC lease ban order.

Former Chief Justice in January 2019 had barred Pakistan Railways from leasing its land in the Centre and the provinces for five years. However, in June 2021 ex-CJP Gulzar Ahmed, hearing the case of circular railways at SC Karachi Registry, had imposed complete ban and stopped the authorities from selling, transferring and leasing the lands owned by railways.

The Chief Justice said that the status of the land intended to be leased should not be changed, adding no construction be made on the Railways land that have parks.The Railways should get the approval of its rules regarding the lease of land from the parliament or cabinet.

Earlier, Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman submitted the Railways business plan. The bench on January 4, 2023 had sought a detailed report from Pakistan Railways regarding its land and future planning to make the institution profitable. He informed that presently the Railways total land is 169,000 acres. Out of that 126,000 acres in used for operation purpose, while 16,742 acres are kept for future planning, told Aamir Rehman.

The report said that 9,985 acres land is encroached, while 10,750 acres land is on lease. The AAG stated that after the Supreme Court order Railways' income worth Rs2.5 billion stopped. The chief justice noted that the...

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