LAHORE: Following the court orders, the Sheikhupura revenue administration on Thursday auctioned the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s 88.4 kanal (11 acres, 4 marlas) land situated in Feroze Wattwan town reportedly for Rs10.1m per acre — Rs3.1m over of the base/reserved price of Rs7m per acre.

One Muhammad Boota offered the highest bid of Rs10.1m per acre of the land in the open auction held at the Municipal Committee/Corporation Office at Sheikhupura district headquarters.

During the auction, about six claimants appeared and claimed the ownership of the land.

“This is our land. We inherited from our elders. How it can be auctioned?” said one Mukhtar Habib. Another man, named Naveed Nasir, also claimed ownership of the property, requesting the revenue officials to stop the auction.

Before commencement of the auction, the revenue administration had displayed banners in and outside the hall inscribed with the information about the auction, nature and measurement of land and court order. Before start of the auction, an official, through a loudspeaker, explained details for the participants.

A five-member committee, headed by the Sheikhupura additional deputy commissioner (revenue), urged the claimants to approach the court about their claims instead of obstructing the auction. They also told the successful bidder about the next procedure (regarding transfer of the land, receipt of bid money etc) to be completed by the court that ordered for auctioning the former premier’s property.

Published in Dawn, May 21st, 2021