LAHORE: Supreme Court has approved Punjab Government petition on Orange Line project in Lahore.
Lahore High Court had restrained the Punjab Government to construct Orange Line train within 200 feet distance of historical buildings in Lahore.
The apex court has ordered constitution of a five judges larger bench to hear the case. The court, however, rejected the government plea for setting aside the Lahore High Court verdict on the project.
Case will be heard in a larger bench from 10th October.
A division bench of the Lahore High Court comprising Justice Abid Aziz Shaikh and Justice Shahid Karim in the judgment also declared all ‘No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued by the Archeology Department as void.
The court in its verdict said that a committee, comprised of world-renowned experts, should be formed and the project should be completed within the light of the recommendations of the report of the experts and recommendations of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The court also outlawed the construction of the train project at 11 sites including Shalimar Gardens, Choburji, Gulabi Bagh, Aiwan-e-Auqaaf, GPO Building, Baddhu Ka Awa, Dai Anga Mosque, Lahore Registry of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and Lahore High Court.
The verdict expressed that the suggestions of the advisory comittee ought to be followed keeping in mind the end goal to stop the pollution.
The people from various walks of life including the civil society groups had filed petitions pleading to the court that historical sites in the provincial capital may be harmed due to the construction of the train project that will also increase pollution in Lahore.
The petitioners had also stated that the provincial archaeology department has issued NOCs for the construction of the train project without following proper legal procedures.