11 November 2004	Thursday	27 Ramazan 1425

LAHORE, Nov 10: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday adjourned untill Nov 18 the proceedings in contempt of court against certain top officers of the Lahore Development Authority upon their failure to decide a case of allotment of a plot in Jauhar Town.

Justice Syed Zahid Husain, in an order on Oct 28, issued contempt of court notices against the LDA director-general and the land acquisition collector and some revenue officers of the Punjab government observing "it is pathetic that the case of petitioner Mohammad Azam remained unattended since Dec 30, 1981.

Azam of Dhani Ram Road submitted a contempt of court petition against the LDA and the Punjab government after their officers failed to decide the case of allotment of a plot measuring one kanal and three marlas he had purchased in an auction on Oct 14, 1981. He submitted that the officers had not complied with the court orders for a decision in two months upon a writ petition filed by him in May 2002.

The court observed that the plea by the LDA and others that the plot fell within the jurisdiction of a private scheme and was not owned by the federal government, was misleading. It held that the issue of the plot ownership was not disputed as it belonged to the petitioner.

The petitioner submitted that he came to know that the plot had twice been allotted to different persons in the past. He later made representations with the area naib tehsildar, the additional deputy commissioner (general) and the LDA for a decision on the allotment. But no officer took a decision and even the LHC orders were not complied with.

The petition was taken up by Justice Zahid Husain again on Wednesday and was, upon the request of the counsel, put off untill Nov 18.