ISLAMABAD, Oct 20: The Supreme Court appointed on Monday former LHC chief justice Sardar Mohammad Iqbal as arbitrator to determine if the plot on which National Institute of Public Administration on the Mall, Lahore, is built, was of commercial status in 1988.

The dispute is lingering on for over a decade, as the owner of the land was not satisfied with the compensation paid to him by the Punjab government.

The owner, Mian Attaullah, claimed that his property was worth Rs400 million when the plot was acquired in 1988 by the provincial government.

Punjab Advocate General Shabbar Raza Rizvi stated before the Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Shaikh Riaz Ahmad, that the petitioner had purchased the property for Rs800,000 in 1980 and he was claiming that its value had gone up to Rs400 million within eight years.

He said that the government had acquired the property on market rates, and apart from making payments, he was given 27 plots in Johar Town.

The principal law officer of Punjab said that no property beyond Chairing Cross was of commercial status, and the government could not pay him more.

He said the government was willing to pay him Rs700,000 more, but the petitioner was demanding Rs360 million.

The Punjab AG suggested that the court should appoint an arbitrator who should decide if the property was of commercial status at the time of acquisition in 1988.

The SC bench gave one month’s time to the arbitrator.