SC reserves verdict on fate of Bahria Town funds.

on Monday reserved its ruling on the federal government's suggestion about constitution of a high-powered committee to ensure transparency in the use of funds being deposited by the Bahria Town Karachi.

While the federal government, through an application, had sought to transfer the funds being deposited in the apex court by the Bahria Town to its 'Public Account', the Sindh government asked for utilising the funds for development projects it had initiated.

A three-judge Supreme Court implementation bench, headed by Justice Faisal Arab, also decided to conduct a fresh survey by the Survey of Pakistan to determine the actual occupation of lands in possession of the Bahria Town Karachi.

On March 21, 2019, a three-judge SC bench, headed by former judge Sheikh Azmat Saeed, had approved Rs460 billion offer put forth by the Bahria Town to implement the apex court's May 4, 2018 judgement in which it was held that the grant of land to the Malir Development Authority (MDA) by the Sindh government, its exchange with the land of Bahria Town and anything done under the provisions of the Colonisation of Government Land Act, 1912 by the Sindh government were illegal and of no legal existence.

Centre suggests constitution of high-powered committee to ensure transparency in use of funds

The land was granted for launching an incremental housing scheme, but instead of launching the scheme, the MDA exchanged it with Bahria Town to launch a scheme of its own, the judgement had regretted.

The settlement pertains to the Bahria Town's Karachi project spreading over 16,896 acres.

At the outset of Monday's hearing, Barrister Syed Ali Zafar, representing the Bahria Town, informed the court that his client had paid one-year instalments up to September 2020 amounting to Rs55.3bn. He said he had also filed an application in the court, requesting for additional time to deposit the remaining instalments in view of the prevalent situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The court, however, observed that the application would be fixed and heard before the next instalment was due.

When Justice Arab recalled reports on social media and in some papers that the Bahria Town had commenced work and encroached upon the MDA land beyond what was agreed in the map, the counsel said no MDA land had been encroached upon rather the Bahria Town had purchased additional private land outside the MDA territory. However, he said, the Bahria Town had filed another application in the court as...