LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and others on a petition challenging the jurisdiction of the anti-graft watchdog to conduct inquiries into disputes relating to property transfers.

Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh heard a petition filed by a citizen, Shahid Mahmood Gujjar.

Advocate Mian Dawood appeared on behalf of the petitioner and argued that the high court had already settled the principle that the ACE could not interfere in disputes concerning property mutation.

However, he said, the ACE, despite judicial precedents, initiated an inquiry against the petitioner over a mutation dispute.

He contended that after losing their legal battle before the revenue authorities, the rival parties had now approached the ACE against the petitioner.

The counsel alleged that for the past two years, the ACE had effectively become an institution used to force citizens into selling their properties through intimidation and pressure.

He maintained that the petitioner’s forefathers had already won litigation up to the level of the Supreme Court regarding disputes over the transfer of 14 kanals of land in Farooqabad.

He argued that after exhausting all legal remedies, the rivals were now allegedly colluding with ACE officials to dispossess the petitioner of the land.

He asked the court to declare the pending inquiry by the ACE-Punjab illegal, unlawful and beyond jurisdiction.

After hearing the arguments, the judge issued notices to the respondents for submission of replies till May 25 and also summoned the ACE inquiry officer in the petitioner’s case at the next hearing.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026