SC forms commission to assess Orange Line project

Islamabad

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday constituted a commission for examining the credibility of National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) report on Orange Line Metro Train (OLMT) Project Lahore.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali resumed hearing into a review petition filed by Punjab government against Lahore High Court’s (LHC) verdict in Orange Line train project case.

Punjab Mass Transit Authority, Lahore Development Authority, Punjab government and the Nespak had challenged the Lahore High Court verdict before the Supreme Court which had granted stay order against the OLMT project in response to identical petitions for heritage and environment protection of the Lahore.

The parties in the instant matter on Friday in pursuance of the court order provided a list of six independent entities. Counsel for the appellants Punjab Mass Transit Authority and others submitted a list of three names including TYPSA-Asian Consulting Engineers (Pvt) Lit JV, EA Consulting (Pvt) Ltd, which previously worked with Lahore Development Authority and Osmani & Company (Pvt) Ltd which previously worked with Punjab Mass Transit Authority. 

While counsels for the respondents Kamil Khan Mumtaz and others also submitted the list of three experts including UNESCO Chair Programme, Durham University Professor Robin Coningham, Wardell Armstrong Armstrong Archaeology (heritage consultancy and site, landscape and geophysical surveys) London and Moore Archaeological & Environmental Services Ltd Galway.

The court gave an hour to the counsels of both the parties to finalise two names from the list. Later, the court in its order said that the proposed names of the technical experts have been provided from which a two-member commission of TYPSA- Asian Consulting Engineers (Pvt) Lit JV and UNESCO Chair Programme, Durham University Professor Robin Coningham is being appointed to examine the credibility of the Nespak’s HIA reports of July 2015 and February 2016.

The court directed that expenses of the Commission would be borne by the Punjab government whereas the Commission shall furnish its report in the matter before it in 30 days. Meanwhile, the court adjourned further hearing.