LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan on Monday chided the Punjab government for delaying payment to a contractor who constructed roads in Faisalabad and Sargodha districts during the previous regimes.

“It is better to line up all political rivals and drown them in the sea if they have to starve,” the chief justice observed, expressing displeasure over the government.

The chief justice hinted at getting the chief secretary and director general of Anti-Corruption Establishment arrested. He noted that the payment had been withheld for years despite approval from all forums.

“Have some fear of God and let this country progress,” Chief Justice Khan asked the bureaucracy of the province.

The judge adjourned further hearing till June 16 (tomorrow) and directed a government’s law officer to come up with an exact time period for payment to the petitioner.

The Royal Construction Company filed the petition saying the government owed it a payment of Rs170 million despite timely completion of the roads for which it was awarded a contract by the previous government.

The company’s counsel said the Faisalabad deputy commissioner at the behest of a sitting MNA stopped the payment despite approval by the chief minister and the finance department.

In another matter, the government assured the chief justice that a compensation amount of Rs40m would be paid to a woman against acquisition of her land decades ago for construction of roads.

A representative of the government said the payment of Rs30.8m would be made to Sharifaan Bibi, the petitioner, within the next three days and the remaining Rs9.2m by July 15.

The CJ regretted that the people were not given their right for years despite using their land by the government. He warned that a huge fine would be imposed on the government in case of further delay in payment.

FUNDS: Punjab Secretary for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Bahadar Ali Khan on Monday told the Lahore High Court that Rs17m had been allocated for bar associations at the principal seat and three regional seats.

The secretary said Rs9m would be disbursed to Lahore High Court Bar Association-principal seat, Rs4m to Rawalpindi seat and Rs2m each to Multan and Bahawalpur seats.

The bar associations had filed petitions in the court against the non-provision of financial grants the government was bound to pay under Legal Practitioners & Bar Council Act 1973.

Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan adjourned further hearing for a week and sought a compliance report from the secretary.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2021