September 13, 2007	Thursday	Sha'aban 30, 1428

LAHORE, Sept 12: Justice Muhammad Muzammal Khan of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday issued a notice to Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi after 17 farmers challenged his order regarding acquisition of their land for a housing society.

Allowing the authorities to continue land acquisition for the extension of the Provincial Government Employees Cooperative Housing Society (PGECHS), the judge said petitioners would not be dispossessed of their land.

The petitioners alleged the chief minister ordered acquisition of their land on the Gujranwala corps commander’s suggestion. They said they were earning their livelihood from their land in Kot Shahan, Dhengranwali and Rahwali villages near Gujranwala Cantonment. They said they could not be deprived of their land because they had build there storage houses and installed tube wells.

They said not a single house had yet been built on the land acquired for the scheme, but the managing group of the society, in connivance with the Punjab government and army officers, was acquiring more land to increase value of the scheme.

They said: “On Jan 20, Col Zafar (retired), an engineer for the society, Col Fakhri and 35 other army officials came to us and told us that our land has been acquired for the society”. On Jan 25, the Gujranwala garrison commander allowed extension of the scheme on the Punjab chief secretary’s request. The secretary later asked Elahi to order acquisition of their land for the society. Finally, the Gujranwala district revenue officer notified them their land had been acquired for the extension of the society.

The petitioners prayed the court to void Elahi’s order and the notification and ensure that respondents do not trespass on their property. The proceedings would now resume on Sept 29.