QUETTA: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has restrained the administrator of Quetta Metropolitan Corporation from allotting the QMC’s lands on lease till further orders.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mengal and Justice Mohammad Hashim Khan Kakar sought on Friday details of allotments of corporation’s property and land to individuals on lease.

During the hearing of a constitutional petition filed by Parveen Messiah, the court will determine the legal aspect of the allotment of corporation’s land.

The petitioner alleged that irregularities had been committed in the allotment of corporation’s property and land. She said allotments had been made to people belonging to land mafia and feared that commercial plazas would be built on the lands in question.

The petitioner pointed out that the land mafia had earlier raised shops on plots meant for public washrooms. She sought cancellation of illegal lease deeds.

The hearing was adjourned to Oct 15.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2014