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LAHORE, May 6: The Lahore High Court on Monday while staying demolition of around 100 make-shift houses of gypsies residing in Neelam Block, Multan Road, directed the Kutcha Abadis director to resolve the matter of the petitioners within 60 days and report to the court.
The petition filed by a welfare organization through his counsel Nisar A Mujahid submitted that the gypsies had been living in the area for 40 years and when the government announced giving proprietary rights to them, a property dealer started harassing them in connivance with the LDA authorities and threatened to demolish the houses.
He informed the court that the said property dealer expelled the gypsies from their houses and occupied the land. He said that now the said person, Abdul Ghafoor, would obtain the proprietary rights of the land and sell it according to his whim.
The counsel prayed the court to take notice and direct the authorities concerned to make arrangements for the rehabilitation of gypsies.
CONTRACT STAYED: The Lahore High Court on Monday stayed auction of a stone-breaking contract at Sargodha’s mines and directed the authorities concerned to decide the matter of the petitioner within 30 days and report to the court.
The court also directed Additional Advocate-General Hanif Khatana to ensure the compliance of the court order.
The petition filed by Sher Bahadur through Ali Sibtain Fazali submitted that he had obtained the contract of mine stone breaking five years ago and paid Rs8,20,000 as surety but he could not complete his job due to illegal occupants.
He informed the court that he had moved an application for extension in contract period but the authorities concerned refused to do so and told him that the contract was given illegally to him.
He requested the court to declare the act of the authorities concerned as illegal and direct to grant him some more time to complete his job.
NOTICE: The Lahore High Court on Monday issued a pre-admission notice to the Sales Tax Department for May 14 on three petitions against illegal audit of the petitioner companies.
The petition was filed by Haseeb Waqas Sugar Mills, Abdullah Sugar Mills and Yousaf Sugar Mills through Advocate Ijaz Ahmad Awan.
TRANSFERRED: The chief justice of the Lahore High Court on Monday transferred and posted two following civil judges-cum-judicial magistrates.
Bashir Ahmad Chaudhry from Jalalpur Pirwala to Hafizabad and Allah Bakhash from Vehari to Jalalpur Pirwala.
Zardari’s bail: A division bench of the Lahore High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of an appeal of the state for cancellation of bail of Asif Ali Zardari in a drug trafficking case on the request of state counsel.
Special prosecutor Iqbal Bhatti contended that May 11 was fixed for production of record before the Lahore district and sessions judge.
Petitioner counsel Raja Anwar said his client was innocent as two prosecution witnesses Ashraf Marth and Mumtaz Barni confessed that they had given statements against Asif Ali Zardari at the behest of ex-chairman Ehtesab Bureau, Saifur Rehman. Raja Shafqat Abbasi and Farooq H. Naik also appeared on behalf of Asif Ali Zardari.
The Lahore D&SJ had granted bail to Asif Ali Zardari in the case.
TRAFFIC DIG SUMMONED: Justice Karamat Nazir Bhandari of the Lahore High Court on Monday summoned traffic DIG and Punjab transport secretary on June 5 on a petition against increase in transport fares.
Earlier, the court had directed petitioner-lawyer M. D. Tahir to submit the number of his petitions of same nature to the LHC office and the office would fix all the cases on next hearing collectively.
The petitioner submitted that the transporters in connivance with the transport authorities increased fares but the transporters gave no facility to commuters.
He contended that petrol prices decreased in the last few months and the respondents, instead of decreasing fare, raised it which was inimical to the people.
He requested the court to direct the government to start service of double-decker bus again to facilitate commuters as the wagon owners were looting them.
He prayed the court to declare the act illegal and direct the authorities to decrease fares and also set aside increase in fares since 1993.—APP
