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LAHORE, Aug 19: The Lahore Church Council of the United Church on Tuesday filed a contempt application against Forman Christian College Principal Peter H Armacost for having flouted court orders regarding the construction of a wall on the college premises.
The additional sessions judge issued notice to Mr Armacost, and FCC property resource coordinator Saleem Bhatti for Sept 6.
The LCCUC counsel, Waheed Anwar, alleged that the respondent had been carrying out the construction work on the college premises despite the status quo order issued by court on Aug 9.
The counsel submitted in his application that the one-man local commission appointed by court to confirm the LCCUC’s complaint had also reported to have found masons constructing the wall on the college premises during its visit on Aug 11.
“The findings of the commission make it clear that Mr Armacost has violated the court orders intentionally,” he said, alleging that when the petitioner approached him and Saleem Bhatti to stop them from carrying out the construction work, they tore the copy of the court orders and refused to abide by these.
He requested the court to penalize both the respondents under Section 151 CrPC for not complying with the orders, and using derogatory remarks against the court.
VERDICT RESERVED: The court reserved its verdict on a suit filed by the LCCUC to stop the FC College’s management from constructing a wall on the college premises.
Both the parties completed their respective arguments after which the judgment was reserved.
The LCCUC counsel submitted that since a suit for the possession of the FC College was already pending for adjudication, the 265-kanal property had become disputed till the final decision of that suit. He further argued that in case the construction was allowed by the court, it would change the nature of the whole property.
FC College counsel Jamshed Rehmatullah contended that Mr Armacost was a bona fide controller of the college property, and was authorized to raise any kind of construction, which the management deem necessary. The college’s sitting management, he said, was the real owner of the property and it was getting the wall constructed in this capacity.
He added that the management would not claim a penny for the construction from the LCCUC in case the possession of the FC College was transferred to the latter.
