Demolition of Madina Mosque: SC rejects govt’s plea, refuses to recall order

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court turned down the federal government’s plea to recall its order regarding demolition of Madina Mosque in Karachi. A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, on Tuesday, heard a case related to removing of encroachments in the economic hub.

The bench on December 28, while hearing the case at Karachi Registry had ordered for removal of encroachments, including the mosque on Tariq Road, and retrieve the land meant for public parks.

The Attorney General for Pakistan, Khalid Jawed, pleaded that “religious tension” was springing up in the wake of demolition directives. He prayed before the Court to review its 28-12-21 order saying, “Many questions are being raised over directives to raze a place of worship.”

The chief justice stated that the Sindh government could allocate an alternative place for the mosque. “I have seen a park in the [mosque’s] place with my own eyes,” he insisted. Justice Qazi Amin Ahmed observed that religion was being used in land grabbing.

The attorney general said it was the duty of the state to provide land for the mosque but reiterated his request to the court to withdraw its order. However, the chief justice said they cannot recall its order, adding; “All we can do is order the mosque not to be demolished until a new site is earmarked for it.”

He further said; “What would be the purpose of proceedings if we withdraw our orders.” Justice Qazi Amin observed that building a mosque on an encroached land was not a religious act, saying “Islam does not allow it.”

“If you want to build a mosque, construct it from your own pocket,” he said. The bench was informed that a mosque, Madina Masjid, had been built on land measuring around 1,100 square yards shown as a park in PECHS on main Tariq Road.

The bench had expressed resentment at the DMC-East administrator when he requested it to pass an order about the removal of the mosque and said that it was his duty to restore public spaces. It directed the administrator to ensure the removal of the mosque and other encroachments in a week and restore the land as a park. The bench ordered the administrator to file the report in three weeks.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022