Responding to the Islamabad High Court (IHC) order for the demolition of the Navy Sailing Club at Rawal Lake and the hand over of several farmhouses on Simly Dam road, the defence ministry has stated that the complex was built with prior approval from then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan in 1992.
The ministry argued that the sailing club is neither "a club in the traditional sense nor it is a commercial enterprise," but instead was constructed as a training centre for young athletes to promote rowing, sailing and other water sports.
Furthermore, the ministry cited a directive from then prime minister Nawaz Sharif on October 18, 1992 to "set up a water sports centre at six places, including Rawal Lake." The Navy sailing club on Rawal Lake was built following this order, and 25 years later was upgraded following this directive in 2018, as reported in Dawn.
In its appeal, the defense ministry also stated that in 1992, then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan approved the construction of seven new directorates in Naval Headquarters, including the Directorate General of Welfare and Rehabilitation. The ministry claims that it was this latter directorate which built the residential farmhouses on Simly Dam road using money it had received through fundraising, not public funds.
The ministry requested the court to reverse its decision and allow the defence ministry to retain control of the complex.
Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the demolition of the Pakistan Navy’s sailing club along Rawal Lake in Islamabad and ordered the defence ministry to relinquish control of the farmhouses to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The ministry argued that the sailing club is neither "a club in the traditional sense nor it is a commercial enterprise," but instead was constructed as a training centre for young athletes to promote rowing, sailing and other water sports.
Furthermore, the ministry cited a directive from then prime minister Nawaz Sharif on October 18, 1992 to "set up a water sports centre at six places, including Rawal Lake." The Navy sailing club on Rawal Lake was built following this order, and 25 years later was upgraded following this directive in 2018, as reported in Dawn.
In its appeal, the defense ministry also stated that in 1992, then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan approved the construction of seven new directorates in Naval Headquarters, including the Directorate General of Welfare and Rehabilitation. The ministry claims that it was this latter directorate which built the residential farmhouses on Simly Dam road using money it had received through fundraising, not public funds.
The ministry requested the court to reverse its decision and allow the defence ministry to retain control of the complex.
Earlier this month, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the demolition of the Pakistan Navy’s sailing club along Rawal Lake in Islamabad and ordered the defence ministry to relinquish control of the farmhouses to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).