The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Tuesday ordered the authorities to de-seal Monal Restaurant in Islamabad.

According to Dawn News a three-member bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan overturned the Islamabad High Court's (IHC) January 11 verdict that had directed the authorities concerned to seal the popular restaurant.

The Monal Group of Companies challenged the high court's verdict in the apex court and pleaded that the IHC had ordered the authorities to take over the possession of the restaurant and seal the premises when none of the parties had sought such a direction thus seriously prejudicing the fundamental rights of the petitioner.

During today's hearing, the apex court asked how a restaurant could be sealed without issuing a written order in the case.

The Supreme Court noted that the Wildlife and Management Board had sealed the restaurant without providing a copy of the IHC verdict. However, it added that it was not yet aware of the legal implications of the IHC decision.

The apex court noted that the IHC had never issued the order to seal the Monal Restaurant and suspended the IHC's unsigned short order.

The IHC on January 11 had ordered to seal Islamabad's Monal Restaurant, situated at the Margalla Hills National Park and had also declared the occupation of military on 8,000 acres land of the park illegal.

The court in its order had noted that the land in the national park belonged to the state and no commercial activities could take place there.