SC stops CDA from demolishing lawyers' chambers.

ISLAMABAD -- The SupAreme Court on Friday resAtrained the Capital DevelopAment Authority (CDA) from demolishing illegal chambers of lawyers constructed on the Football Ground, greenbelts and footpaths.

The lawyers have expresAsed willingness to submit an undertaking to vacate the amenity land once construction of the lawyers' complex was completed.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed, issued a stay order effective till March 2 on an appeal filed by the Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) against the Islamabad High Court (IHC)'s order to declare the lawyers' chambers illegal. The SC bench asked the attorney general (AG) to appear in the court on the said date.

Representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Supreme Court Bar AssociaAtion (SCBA), Punjab Bar Council, Islamabad Bar Council, Islamabad High Court Bar Association and Islamabad Bar Association appeared before the apex court.

The court made it clear that the proceedings in this matter would be conducted without any pressure or favour.

A four-member IHC bench, headed by Chief Athar Minallah, disposing of the Football Ground encroachment case, asked the lawyers to voluntarily vacate the amenity land by Feb 28 and directed the CDA to retrieve the playground and hold an inter-colleges football match there on March 23.

The PBC has challenged the IHC's order before the Supreme Court.

When the three-member bench of the apex court took up the appeal, dozens of lawyers gathered at the rostrum. Justice Gulzar asked them to leave the rostrum, allowing only those who were supposed to argue to stay.

Subsequently, SCBA President Latif Afridi and senior advocate Hamid Khan argued against the IHC judgement passed in the Shahnaz Butt case, in which the IHC four- member larger bench had ordered the CDA to remove the illegal chambers.

Interestingly, Mr Khan was an amicus curiae in this matter before the IHC and had opposed encroachment on state land. The IHC in its order had appreciated Mr Khan for assisting the court.

CJP Gulzar, during the hearing of the appeal, remarked that as he had been a professional lawyer in the past, he knew everything about the bar. 'We know what the lawyers gossip about the judges. There must be sanity among the lawyers and we expect them to be cautious about their own institution,' he said.

Meanwhile, the...