The Islamabad High Court on Thursday directed the Ministry of Defence to combine the intra-court appeals against the demolition of the Navy Sailing Club and possession of Naval Farms and Naval Golf Club.

A division bench comprising Justice Aamer Farooq and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb heard the Defense Ministry's intra-court appeal.

During the hearing, advocate Sardar Ahmed Jamal Sukhera appeared before the court on behalf of the appellant.

"You are saying that the bench has not heard his department before announcing the short order. What is the legal status of Naval Farms?' the court questioned.

Defense Ministry lawyer replied that it was a welfare scheme, adding that it comes under the Navy Ordinance 1961 and that the President of Pakistan approved the purchase of the land for the welfare scheme of the Housing Society.

He said the Bahria Foundation initially purchased 2,400 kanals of land for Naval Farms in the early 90s. Later the property was transferred in the name of the Directorate General of Welfare.

No public funds were used for the purchase of the land, the process of purchasing the land was completed by raising funds from the Navy officers, the lawyer argued adding that there were some agreements from which they were given developed plots in return for purchasing the land.

The same court also declared Navy Golf Club as illegal in its decision dated January 11. The intra-court appeals were filed by the Pakistan Navy and requested the division bench to grant a stay order against the decision.