Body to examine renovation of Bibi Pak Daman shrine

Petitioners tell LHC plan for upgrading the shrine is not being followed

LAHORE:

The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, constituted a committee comprising senior lawyers to examine the renovation work at the shrine of Bibi Pak Daman with further direction to submit a comprehensive report underlining what has been ascertained.

The Chief Justice was hearing different petitions against alterations in the already approved renovation plan and improper extension/renovation work at the shrine.

The petitioners told the court that the plan for upgrading of the shrine which had already been approved was not being followed.

The petitioner’s counsel, Khawaja Haris, implored the court that the Punjab government had not issued development funds despite the approval by the federal government. He requested the court to pass directions to the relevant authorities to expand the shrine after getting recovered the occupied land of 12 kanal.

To which counsel Usman Arif, who was representing the Auqaf Department, told the court that no one had occupied the land, arguing that there was a graveyard on 10 kanal of land.

He argued that the court should observe whether or not the renovation or extension of the shrine in light of the recommendations of the committee was correct.

He further told the court that the chief secretary and the secretary of Auqaf had not raised any objections in the report concerning renovation of the shrine.

To which the petitioner’s counsel, Khawaja Haris, implored the court that renovation was not being done in light of the PC-I of the shrine.

He reiterated that the already approved design/map was not being followed in renovation of the shrine. He requested the court to stop improper renovation of the shrine until the final decision of the petitions.

However, the Chief Justice adjourned the proceedings for September 7.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2022.