Pakistan Railways cannot sell its land but lease: SC ruled
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ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC), wrapping up the case, barred the Pakistan Railways from selling its land across the country.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard the case pertaining to allegedly illegal occupation of the Pakistan Railways’ land.
He observed, “Railways land is the property of the federation and the department can lease it but not sell. However, it does not mean that the land be leased for 99 years.”
The chief justice said the Railways land in the jurisdiction of the center or provinces could not be leased for more than five years adding, “Pakistan Railways does not have the permission to construct any housing society."
Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid pleaded before the court that the ministry was leasing its land in order to overcome its financial deficit.
He declared that the land would not be auctioned adding, “We can earn Rs3 billion profit annually if we lease the land.”
The bench also declared that the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club case would be heard separately from this matter and disposed of the case.
APP
