IB Cooperative Housing Society: How can a govt officer run real estate business, asks IHC

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) remarked on Thursday that the court should be provided a satisfactory reply as to how come a government officer could run a real estate business, directly or indirectly.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah took up for hearing a petition against running of a housing society by the Intelligence Bureau (IB) officers.

The court, while accepting the plea from the IB counsel seeking more time to file a reply, remarked that the court should be satisfied through arguments that a government officer could run a real estate business.

The judge asked the IB counsel whether the IB officers could get themselves involved in such a business. “What was going on there,” wondered the IHC CJ. “This is a serious matter,” he remarked.

The court said that prime minister’s advisor Shahzad Akbar had also presented a report with reference to the matter. “All the institutions are doing the real estate business. This is a major clash of interests,” remarked the CJ.

Petitioner Sarang Khan had challenged the appointment of coordinators of the IB Cooperative Housing Society in the IHC. The IHC CJ remarked that how can the CDA [Capital Development Authority] dare ask any question if [such an] institution would be involved in a business. The court, while summoning a reply from the IB, adjourned the hearing till after winter vacation, the first week of January.