SC gives ISI 4-week extension to open Islamabad's road for traffic

ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court of Pakistan gave country's premier spy agency another four weeks to reopen the Shahra-i-Suharwardy at Aabpara junction in Islamabad.

The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) had closed the main road in 2008 after terrorist attacks on several important government buildings.

A three-member  SC bench headed by Chief justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a case regarding removal of encroachments in the capital city.

"The transfer of sensitive devices in the ISI building is taking a long time," Director Law Branch Ministry of Defence Brigadier Falak Naz told the court.

The official of the defence department said that most of the road has been cleared but it has not been opened for traffic.

"What good is an empty road for the people if it cannot be used," the chief justice remarked.

After enquiring the defence official, how much more time the ISI would take to open the road, the court gave a four-week extension.

It is worth mentioning here that on July 6, the apex court had ordered to remove roadblocks within two months.