ISLAMABAD:
Supreme Court Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail on Monday delivered sharp observations on state responsibility and human sensitivity while hearing two separate cases, emphasizing that children should not suffer amid protracted legal disputes.
A two-member bench, comprising Justice Mandokhail and Justice Irfan Saadat Khan, was hearing a petition filed by a private construction company regarding cancellation of construction of a guest house in the diplomatic enclave of Islamabad for the Chief Minister and Governor of Balochistan.
The company’s lawyer told the court that the former caretaker chief minister had inaugurated the project before its notification was withdrawn, adding that an advance bank guarantee was submitted for mobilization.
Judge Mandokhail noted that arbitration proceedings were already pending before the trial court, emphasizing that “the government is not running away, the government is there”, while emphasizing that the bank guarantee remained valid until June 30, 2026.
Justice Mandokhail observed that the interim administration officials may have acted in haste, perhaps limiting their role to the installation of a plaque, and recalled that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had earlier passed a stay order.
The Supreme Court denied the petition, ordering the lower court to decide the case.
In another case involving a dispute between husband and wife, Justice Mandokhail ordered that a father be allowed to meet his young daughter in court, stressing that “such cruelty should not be inflicted.” He observed that children suffer the most in marital disputes, ordering that the meeting take place immediately inside the courtroom before adjourning the hearing.
