07 October 2004	Thursday	21 Shaban 1425

KARACHI, Oct 6: A division bench of Sindh High Court comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Zawwar Hussain Jaffery issued pre-admission notice to Sindh Secretary Land Utilization , Karachi Port Trust and Mukhtiarkar, Keamari Town for Oct 20.

The bench was seized with the hearing of a petition filed by Mohammad Sharif and Mohammad Alam who were allotted plots measuring 15 acres each in Trans Lyari (Hawksbay). The petitioners maintained that the land was allotted to them after fulfilling all legal requirements and payment of government dues.

They alleged that suddenly on July 12, 2004, some KPT officials came to their plots, demolished the boundary walls and issued threats of dire consequences if petitioners failed in vacating the plots.

After hearing the initial arguments, the court issued pre- admission notice to the respondents for Oct 20. The same bench while hearing 10 identical petitions filed by the Pak-Maniar Construction Company, developers of Gulshan-i- Jami, against 10 residents gave two days to the counsel for petitioner to satisfy the court whether petitions were filed with bona fide intentions or to harass the occupants/owners.

The petitioner maintained that the project was developed for purely residential purposes, but, the respondents in connivance with the KBCA were using land for commercial purposes. It was sheer violation of the agreement between the purchasers/owners and the company, the petitioner said.

When the petitions came up for hearing before the bench, Shaukat Shaikh advocate appearing for one of the respondents Wakeel Ahmed submitted that as per lease agreement and other documents, the land could be used for both residential and commercial purposes. The respondent alleged that the petitioner intended to harass the occupants/ owners through instant identical petitions.

Syed Zaki Mohammad appearing for the petitioner at this stage sought time to respond to the question about the use of land as per lease deed/agreement. The bench allowed the request granting two days time to the counsel for petitioner to satisfy the court whether petitions were filed bona fide or to harass the occupants.

BAIL PLEA: A division bench of Sindh High Court, comprising Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali and Justice Syed Zawar Hussain Jaffery, on Wednesday issued notice to deputy prosecutor general NAB for Oct 12 on bail plea submitted by a company director, facing corruption charges.

Khawaja Qadeer Ahmed of S M Tanveer Corporation is named as a co-accused in a corruption reference against Usman Farooqui and others. They are charged with obtaining financial gains through corrupt practices in the purchase of ferro-manganese (high carbon) for Pakistan Steel during 1994, causing a loss of Rs157.630 million to the government exchequer. -APP/PPI