IHC overturns 2022 ruling, clears Naval farms and sailing club at Rawal Lake

A division bench comprising Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas and Justice Shahrukh Arjumand announced its decision while hearing intra-court

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has overturned a 2022 judgment declaring the Pakistan Naval Farms and Pakistan Navy Sailing Club near Rawal Lake illegal, providing significant relief to the Ministry of Defence and former senior naval officials.

A division bench comprising Justice Inaam Ameen Minhas and Justice Shahrukh Arjumand announced its decision while hearing intra-court appeals filed against the earlier single-bench ruling.

The court accepted the appeals moved by the Ministry of Defence, former Naval Chief Admiral (retd) Zafar Mahmood Abbasi and other affected parties, effectively setting aside several major directions issued in 2022.

The division bench also quashed the directions calling for criminal and misconduct proceedings against Admiral (retd) Zafar Mahmood Abbasi and other naval officers in connection with the establishment and operation of the facilities.

The earlier ruling had declared the Naval Farms and Sailing Club situated along the Rawal Lake area unlawful and ordered the demolition of the sailing club building. The latest judgment has reversed those directions, removing the legal basis for the proposed demolition.

The court also annulled the previous order requiring the Auditor General of Pakistan to determine alleged financial losses and recover the amount from officials held responsible.

The controversy dates back to the 2022 single-bench judgment, which had raised questions over the establishment of the naval facilities, their legal status and alleged financial and administrative irregularities. The judgment had also ordered proceedings against senior naval officials, including the then Naval Chief.

The Ministry of Defence and the affected officers subsequently challenged the decision through intra-court appeals, maintaining that the facilities had been established for welfare, recreational and related purposes for naval personnel.

With the latest IHC ruling, the earlier directions concerning demolition, financial recovery and proceedings against the former Naval Chief and other officers have been set aside, bringing a major legal development in the long-running Rawal Lake case.If you want, I can also make it more newspaper-style, sharper, and suitable for Minute Mirror’s publication format.