LAHORE: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Sunday ordered the Anti-Corruption Department (ACD) to seize the Khokhar Palace owned by two PML-N parliamentarians and present report within 10 days.

A two-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a suo motu case against illegal occupation of the properties of individuals by MNA Afzal Khokhar, MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar and Shafi Khokhar at the Supreme Court’s Lahore registry.

The CJP ordered the authorities to split the co-share of Khokhar Palace, take away all the belongings and vacate it immediately. “The government will build educational institution in the palace like it promised to build a university in the Prime Minister House,” he remarked.

CJP says Khokhar brothers ran state within state

He said he would not allow lawlessness to prevail in Pakistan.

He also remarked that the Khokhar brothers were running state within state and no one was allowed to enter the palace without their permission and these type of people had damaged the country.

He directed the ACD to register a case against the Khokhar brothers, adding further action should also be taken against them under the law.

Justice Nisar said he knew very well that Khokhar brothers were standing before him humbly but he could sense what they could do to him after his retirement, which is due on Jan 17.

Khokhar bothers’ counsel pleaded that his clients were innocent and they were facing these allegations due to prevailing land grabbing culture.

The CJP remarked that the land grabbing culture in Pakistan was introduced by the Khokhar brothers.

ACD director general Hussain Asghar presented a report before the court. He said the Khokhar brothers had grabbed at least 40 kanals of government land, adding, “Khokhar brothers have made payments to only one person out of 10 others”.

The report said that the Khokhar Palace was built on grabbed land and both the co-accused had got pre-arrest bails till the retirement date of the chief justice.

Mr Asghar said Khokhar brothers believed that no one would take action against them after the retirement of CJP.

Afzal Nadeem Khokhar was arrested for building his home, Khokhar Palace on Dec 25 allegedly by taking illegal possession of 34-marla land of a citizen, Tariq Mahmood.

The court directed the ACD chief to seize Khokhar Palace, vacate it and present a report within 10 days.

Notices issued to govt

Separately, the CJP sought report on excessive payments made to independent power producers (IPPs) and issued notices to them and the federal government.

He was hearing suo motu case against excessive payment made to the IPPs.

The CJP observed that billions of rupees paid to the IPPs had ballooned the circular debt. Apparently, the matter involves Rs1.59 billion, he added.

The court had earlier issued notices to 10 IPPs.

The CJP ordered the federal government and 10 IPPs to submit reply over the excessive payment made to them till Jan 9 and adjourned the case till next date.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2019