ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday ordered an immediate audit of the Gun and Country Club.

A three-member SC bench comprising Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ayesha A. Malik and Justice Athar Minallah heard the suo motu notice case regarding allotment of land worth billions by CDA to the Gun and Country Club at a throwaway price and application regarding extension of time in the matter of the club.

During the course of proceedings, the chief justice, while ordering an immediate audit, said the club was a national asset which the court wanted to protect.

He said the government should complete the legislative process as soon as possible and take over the club’s administration. The additional attorney general said the club was not providing details of weapons.

The current committee was reluctant to get an audit of the club carried out, he said.

Advocate Naeem Bukhari, a member of the club’s committee, told the court that Faisal Sakhi Butt, Daniyal Aziz and Khurram Khan were politically appointed in the past.

The club had an internal audit every year, he said, adding that the committee was ready to pay Rs180 million to the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

On this occasion, Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial remarked that one member of the bench did not want to hear the case. He said that allegations were being made from both sides, adding that secretary of IPC, who was also the chairman of the club, spent Rs0.4 million on tea in one of his meetings.

The chief justice said that there was no state expenditure in the meetings of the Supreme Court. The court issued directions to the relevant quarters to complete the audit of the club from Dec 2, 2019 to June 20, 2022 as soon as possible. Land lease between Gun and Country Club and CDA and payment of Rs180 million should be decided by the competent authority and the court would not intervene in the matter. Subsequently, hearing of the case was adjourned till February 2023.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2022