LHC dismisses plea in Nawaz Sharif land transfer case

The petitioner failed to provide the sale deed to the court

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday dismissed a plea wherein the petitioner sought the transfer of the land he purchased from former premier and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and his nephew Yousaf Abbas on his name.

A division bench, headed by Justice Shahid Waheed, dismissed the plea filed by Muhammad Ashraf Malik. The petitioner prayed that he purchased 88-kanal and five-marla land from the Sharifs and appealed to the LHC for its transfer on his name.

Malik had contended that the land located in Sheikhupura was owned by the PML-N leader, while his nephew being an attorney of Nawaz had entered into an agreement for sale with the petitioner.

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On May 30, 2019, around Rs7 crore was credited to the former premier’s account, following which the physical possession of the land was handed over to the petitioner.

Subsequently, the respondent Nawaz Sharif was arrested in a criminal case due to which the respondents failed in executing the sale deed.

However, in September 2019 the petitioner filed a suit before the Sheikhupura civil court. But since no one from the respondents’ side appeared, they were declared ex-parte to the case and the suit was dismissed.

Following this, Malik challenged the civil court’s decision at the LHC.

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Hearing the plea on Monday, Justice Waheed questioned the petitioner’s counsel whether any document of the sale was produced before the civil court.

The counsel informed the court that the sale deed was with Abbas, adding that the proof of transfer into bank accounts was with them, which would be reflected in Nawaz’s bank statement as well.

“Transferring [an] amount to anyone’s account does not mean you have purchased the land,” observed the LHC judge.

After hearing the details, Justice Shahid Waheed dismissed the plea with cost.