LAHORE: Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Monday ordered the Sindh revenue department to immediately retrieve encroached properties belonging to Hindu or any other minority community.

The chief justice was hearing a suo motu matter at the Lahore registry relating to encroachment of properties owned by the Hindu community.

Representing the community, MNA Dr Ramesh Kumar appeared before a two-judge bench and submitted a report about encroached land in different areas of Sindh including Mithi, Larkana, Kashmore and Sukkur.

A law officer of Sindh told the bench that there were cases pending before different civil courts regarding the ownership of the properties in question.

At this, the CJP directed the tehsildars concerned to take possession of the properties with undisputed titles and directed the civil courts to decide the pending cases within six months.

The chief justice also ordered the civil courts to dispose of cases if filed by the affected persons after the revenue department took over the possession of the properties belonging to Hindu community or any other minority including Christians.

The chief justice disposed of the matter.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2018