SC chides politicians putting nameplates on state land

The Supreme Court on Friday barred politicians from putting up their nameplates on lands owned by the government, stressing that the practice of political figures plastering their monikers on such property should be abolished.

The decision came during the hearing of a land claim petition filed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). A two-member bench headed by Justice Qazi Faez Isa took up the plea.

The apex court remarked that if any politician wished to hand over their private land to the state, they were welcome to do so. However, it questioned how could they put their own names on government lands.

A copy of the order was directed to be sent to the Punjab government, chief secretary and advocate general Punjab.

During the hearing, the lawyer, who appeared before the apex court on behalf of ETPB, told the court that the land near Saidpur Road in Rawalpindi was declared a ‘katchi abadi’ by the federal government in 1992.

Later, PML-Q leader Pervaiz Elahi handed over the property's ownership certificates to the citizens and went on to place his own name plaque on it. He further said that the land also has a Dharam Shala — a centre for members of the Hindu community — built on it which, he argued, made it a property of the ETPB.

However, Justice Isa, while inquiring about the ownership claims pointed out that the board has not claimed the right over the Dharam Shala up until this moment nor was there any proof of ownership.

The court later dismissed the petition.