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ISLAMABAD, Nov 04 (APP): The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stone-crushing case until November 11.
A constitutional bench headed by Justice Amin-ud-Din conducted the proceedings and reviewed the compliance report submitted in light of the Court’s order dated July 11, 2024, regarding stone-crushing plants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
During the hearing, the Additional Advocate General informed the Court that there are a total of 903 crushing plants in the province, of which monitoring of 879 plants has been completed. According to the report, 230 plants are currently closed, while the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued various directions to 719 plants for different violations. Additionally, 37 plants have been served show-cause notices.
Justice Jamal Mandokhail remarked that the Court’s objective is not to shut down crushing plants but to protect the environment. Justice Shakeel Ahmed observed that the main case pertains to a challenge against the rules.
The Additional Advocate General stated that although the Supreme Court’s decision applied to the entire country, compliance is being ensured only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Justice Amin-ud-Din noted that the judges from the original case are not part of the current bench. Meanwhile, counsel for the crushing plant owners argued that some plants have been closed since 2024, and owners have spent over Rs. 10 million on environmental compliance. He requested an early hearing of the case.
The Court then adjourned further proceedings until next Tuesday (November 11).