Islamabad: The Supreme
Court (SC) has intimated that it would not permit any unplanned or haphazard expansion
of the city’s boundaries from now onward, according to news sources.
The SC expressed these views while hearing a suo motto case pertaining to environmental pollution in Islamabad’s Sector 1-9 Industrial Area. During the hearing, the court expressed its dismay at the presence of the industrial sector in the heart of the capital.
Chief Justice Gulzar
Ahmed maintained that Australia’s capital city, Canberra, had been planned at
the same time as Islamabad. However, he added, since that time Canberra seems
to have retained its original geographical boundaries, while Islamabad has been
expanding at an unprecedented rate.
The CDA informed the court that the industrial area would have to be moved from Sector I-9 and a new industrial zone would be established in the Sector I-17 of the city. This sector would comprise of textile industries, while the steel industry would be moved to either Peshawar or Gujranwala. Similarly, it was declared that schools, colleges and universities would be established in lieu of the industrial area in Islamabad.
The SC also expressed its distress regarding the presence of garbage in Islamabad’s Blue Area, and the worsening environmental pollution in the city. To this effect, the court sought an explanation from the representative of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the DG Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
