LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah says Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and the local residents in Nankana Sahib are prima facie right in their respective points of view.

Speaking on the floor of the House following PML-N’s Malik Zulqernain Dogar’s adjournment motion taken up in the Zero Hour, Mr Sanaullah said the government was looking into the matter of occupation of 19,000 acres of ETPB land in Nankana Sahib.

Asserting that any excesses being committed by both parties needed to be identified, he said an inquiry was being conducted and the report would be referred to the committee to finalise the next strategy. He also condemned ETPB’s allegations leveled against MPA Mr Dogar and added that he (Dogar) had actually pacified the protesters and rioters when they were out to besiege and burn the board property.

Earlier, Mr Dogar said ETPB chief Siddiqueul Farooq had got registered cases against the Sikh leaders who spent some three months in jail and were granted bail on the intervention of the Lahore High Court.

He said Mr Farooq had cancelled in one go the land contract of some 800,000 contractors in Nankana Sahib area. He said the ETPB chief also held him responsible for all riots and added that being an elected member of the area, he was supposed to look after the interests of his voters.

The speaker adjourned the session till Tuesday (today) 10am.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2016