LHC stays demolishing Khokhar Palace

LAHORE:Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Tuesday restrained the district government from further demolishing “Khokhar Palace”, the residence of PML-N leader Saiful Malook Khokhar, and directed both sides to approach the civil court for the resolution of the dispute.

The chief justice also suspended a directive of Lahore’s deputy commissioner about bulldozing the palace, however, restrained the Khokhar brothers from reconstructing the demolished property till a decision from the civil court. The leader of the opposition party had filed a contempt of court petition against the action of the government.

Earlier, representing the petitioner, Advocate Ahsan Bhoon told the court that the government demolished the property in violation of a stay order passed by a civil court and that too without issuing prior notices. He said the petitioner had been subjected to political victimisation. Chief Justice Khan observed that the stay orders by a civil court needed to be honoured and complied with. He questioned had the heavens fallen that the government bulldozed the Khokhar Palace despite a stay order.

Additional Advocate General Asif Bhatti said a prior notice had been served on the petitioner and pasted at the property as well before the operation. He said a total 134 illegal occupants, including the petitioner were issued the notice. He also opposed the maintainability of the petition and said the petitioner did not approach the court with clean hands.

Chief Justice Khan remarked that apparently the property in question had been bulldozed for violation of LDA by-laws. He noted that the civil court had already suspended the government’s directive under which the Khokhar Palace was razed. Advocate Bhoon said a committee previously formed by the SC had declared the petitioner lawful owner of the property in question.

report: The LHC sought a report from LDA regarding the actions taken against illegal housing societies set up on green land areas in the City. Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan was hearing a petition against construction of housing schemes on green land areas and greenbelts.

At the outset of the hearing, LDA’s legal adviser informed the court that 241 societies had been found involved in violation of greenbelts. He said notices had been issued to these housing societies and they had been stopped from providing the power, water and gas connections. He stated that a ban had been imposed on the sale of land in these societies. The chief justice remarked that housing societies could not be developed over the green land area but due to inefficiency of the LDA it had occurred and now millions of people were living there. LDA is responsible for ruining the beautification of the city. The bench summoned the record of the housing societies against whom stay orders were issued by the courts and the societies developed at green land areas in the city.

Chief Justice noted that the illegal societies had been allowed to continue their construction work despite the stay orders. “How could they continue work despite restraining orders against them,” the chief justice questioned. Chief Justice LHC remarked that the budget of the LDA was in billions of rupees but its performance was zero. He sought the list of all DGs of the LDA and regretted that the officials of the authority had no connection with the city because one day they would secure a Canadian visa and would prefer to settle over there permanently.

The court also ordered the LDA to submit a report about its operation for vacating green land areas. The bench will resume hearing by January 28.