CHAKWAL: The Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench judge Justice Mirza Wiqas Rauf on Tuesday ordered status quo on a petition challenging the sealing of Chakwal’s historic civil club.

The court also ordered assistant advocate general Punjab to ensure the presence of a responsible officer on behalf of secretary the Punjab Local Government, deputy commissioner Chakwal and chief officer of Municipal Committee Chakwal on April 30.

The district administration sealed the club on April 22, throwing its furniture and other items out of rooms as it wanted to turn the premises into a food court and parking space.The move left the club members shocked.

The president of the club Advocate Asad Masood Khan filed the writ petition through his counsel Advocate Hassan Raza Pasha and Advocate Iftikhar Ahmed.

Arguing before the court, both lawyers maintained that the club “is historic civic institution established in 1944 and has remained in continuous uninterrupted public use for over 81 years, thereby acquiring the status of a heritage civic, cultural and recreational institution forming part of the social fabric of Chakwal”.

The petition further stated that the club had been governed through a formerly adopted constitution introduced in 1961, continuously followed by the elected bodies.

The petition further added that in 1975 fourteen shops were built on the premises of the club after the approval of club’s body but in last January the district administration demolished those shops in violation of a stay order issued by the LHC.

It added that on April 22, Chief Officer of Municipal Committee along with 35 to 40 employees unlawfully sealed the club premises in a highhanded and unauthorised manner without any notice to petitioner or any employee of the club. During the illegal action the club’s furniture, fixtures and belongings were removed out of rooms which are still lying in the open and entire record of the club was also seized.

The petition added that club’s bank account contained Rs1.6 million which was also put on risk of interference. “There exist credible apprehensions that the premises might be converted into a food court and patwarkhana which is wholly inconsistent with its established civic cultural and recreational character,” it feared.

Started as Dhanni Tennis Club on November 1, 1944 by the then commissioner Rawalpindi Division C. King Esquire and opened by the then Deputy Commissioner Sardar Balwant Singh Nalwa on January 30, 1945, the club was renamed as Civil Club Chakwal in its 1961 constitution.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2026