ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday took suo motu notice of the alleged encroachment of a public football ground in F-8 Islamabad by lawyers who are constructing their chambers on the plot.

According to a notification issued by the court, the chief justice took notice of the encroachment after it was reported by print media.

Last month, lawyers from the Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) began further construction on the football field despite being stopped from doing so at the end of 2017.

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Half of the ground was allegedly appropriated by lawyers who built their chambers there a few years ago.

Construction, which resumed in December 2017 on the remaining half of the land, was halted after the matter was highlighted on various forums, but has now started again.

According to IBA president Riasat Ali Azad, the construction was initiated by the previous cabinet of the bar, and he could not undo their decision.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had refused to intervene in the matter, saying the superior judiciary should take notice of the matter instead.

“We cannot fight with lawyers. Why aren’t the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court, which regularly pass directives to remove encroachments from state land, taking action against the lawyers?” a CDA official asked.

The chief justice ordered the CDA to file a report on the matter within three days.