SC judge recuses himself from FGEHA's plea against IHC

Justice Sajjad Ali Shah recused himself on Monday from the Supreme Court (SC) bench hearing the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority’s (FGEHA's) petition against the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) restraining orders on allotment of plots to judges, bureaucrats and government employees in the capital’s F-14 and F-15 sectors.

On October 10, the FGEHA approached the apex court against the IHC's restraining orders regarding allotment of plots to judges, bureaucrats and government employees through balloting.

Through its counsel Akram Sheikh, the FGEHA has filed two petitions against the IHC’s August 20 and September 13 orders, requesting the apex court to restrain the IHC from passing orders of similar nature against the petitioner.

Read FGEHA hands over 1,072 plots to allottees

“The FGEHA is a public institution working for the mission of providing shelter to federal government employees and retirees which has been made dysfunctional and scandalized in media by the vested interests,” the petition stated.

The petition contends that the IHC orders have created a strong sense of concern among the members of the FGEHA schemes and allottees throughout Islamabad and other capital cities.

Today, a three-judge apex court bench, led by Justice Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and Justice Sajjad Ali Shah was to hear the petitions.

However, at the onset of hearing, Justice Bandial informed that one member of the bench did not want to hear this case. The hearing of the case was adjourned until November 8.

Earlier, the FGEHA had also filed petitions through Akram Sheikh advocate against the IHC orders.