LAHORE: The Nawab Town police on Tuesday arrested Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz MNA Afzal Khokhar on the premises of the Supreme Court, Lahore registry, on charges of illegally occupying the land of a citizen living abroad.

Ali Zafar, presently living in London, said in an FIR that he had purchased a piece of land measuring 1.5 kanals some 20 years ago, but the MNA grabbed it when he was out of the country and built ‘Khokhars Palace’ on it. Mr Zafar said he came to know about the court’s proceedings against the Khokhar brothers and filed an application with the police.

Earlier, Afzal Khokhar, MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar and their third brother Shafi Khokhar appeared before a two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in connection with a suo motu notice taken against them for grabbing properties of overseas Pakistanis, widows and the poor.

CJP tells Khokhar brothers they must restore grabbed land to their rightful owners before requesting for pardon

Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) director general Hussain Asghar was also present in the court.

In a dialogue with Mr Shafi, CJP Nisar said he knew the former for a long time and the story of his becoming a billionaire. “You were ruling like a king as people were afraid of moving court against you,” the chief justice told the Khokhars.

Mr Shafi said he expected justice from the court.

“Indeed, you will get justice and punishment as well from the same court,” said the chief justice and observed with anger that the Khokhars had grabbed properties of widows and orphans and were never afraid of Allah. CJP Nisar said justice would be provided to poor victims of the Khokhars first.

The chief justice observed that the Niaz Beg Scheme was launched in 1977 and under what law scattered land of the Khokhars was consolidated in 2014.

During the hearing, the Lahore Development Authority’s legal adviser informed the court that all the officers involved in demolition operation of an illegal commercial market of Khokhars on state land faced suspension.

Chief Justice Nisar observed that the Khokhars were so powerful that they could get a person killed if he raised voice against them.

A police officer told the court that a case had been lodged against Afzal Khokhar for grabbing the land of an overseas Pakistani. He said that Afzal, during an inquiry, had admitted illegal occupation of a land measuring 48 acres in Kasur.

At this, Shafi Khokhar begged pardon from the court. However, Chief Justice Nisar rejected the request and said the pardon would not be given unless encroached properties of the poor were restored to them.

The chief justice also turned down a request of the Khokhars’ counsel, saying the court would not restrain the police from arresting them if they were required in any case.

On the CJP’s directive, the ACE director general and the officials of the Federal Investigation Agency held an initial interrogation on the court’s premises with the Khokhars about their properties and affairs.

Later, the officials told the chief justice that they needed more time for a detailed probe as the Khokhars were not cooperative during the interrogation.

At this, the chief justice directed the ACE and FIA to complete the investigation within one week and ordered the police to immediately retrieve the land in Kasur from the Khokhars’ possession.

The CJP directed the agencies to interrogate patwaris, consolidation officer and other revenue officers of the Niaz Beg area who were allegedly hand in gloves with the Khokhars.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2018