ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday directed Inter ServicesIntelligence (ISI) to clear the portion of Khayaban-i-Suharwardy in frontof its headquarters in a week.

Hearing a petition against the encroachment on public land, Justice ShaukatAziz Siddiqui observed that “neither any resolution has been passed by theCapital Development Authority (CDA) Board nor any formal permissionaccorded” to allow the spy agency to block the main road for securitypurposes.

Senior Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Mohammad Younus Khan concededthat due to security reasons the road as well as a 40 kanal greenbelt hadbeen blocked.

A portion of Khayaban-i-Suharwardy was closed for security reasons, defenceministry official informs court

The spy agency closed the road a few years ago when terrorists weretargeting important security installations.

According to the defence ministry official, there were enormous threats tothe headquarters of the spy agency.

Therefore, a small portion of Khayaban-i-Suharwardy was closed and trafficdiverted to Kashmir Highway as a part of preventive measures.

Justice Siddiqui remarked that there was no reason to block the publicpassage that too against the master as well as sector plans.

“If some security measures are required to be taken, the intelligenceagency may take within its own territorial boundaries and not on the publicplace belonging to citizens.”

Even otherwise it is in the interest of the prestigious institution toremove the encroachment immediately, the court stated, adding the ordershould be executed “in a week till June 29, 2018, and in case order isexecuted by the enforcement directorate of CDA, same may infringe thereputation of the institution and bring a bad name to the country”.

On March 14, the Supreme Court while taking notice of encroachments aroundtwo hotels had directed the CDA to submit a report on its anti-encroachmentdrives.