‘Outcome of Steel Mills, PIA businesses seen’: State institutions shouldn’t indulge in business activities, says SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) remarked on Thursday that it had been established across the globe, including in Pakistan, that it was not the job of state institutions to indulge in business activities.

A three-member SC bench, headed by Chief Justice Umer Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsen and Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel, was hearing a case on lease of the Railways Golf Club.

“We have witnessed the outcome of businesses, carried out in the Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Steel Mills and other organisations,” the CJP remarked, adding that these institutions faced losses due to heavy load of work.

However, the apex court allowed the Pakistan Railways to lease out its lands for the public use, but not more than five-year period, and directed the department to refrain from changing the status of its lands after leasing it out for any public purpose.

The chief justice observed that every institution was required to take permission from parliament before launching any business.

Therefore, Pakistan Railways should also make legislation for use of its lands through parliament or get it done from the cabinet.

The court directed the railways not to make any construction on its land where any park is situated.