PHC restrains Mardan land officials

In response to Pakistan Railways Peshawar’s petition against the allotment of over 9 kanals of land to a local woman by the Revenue Department of Mardan, the Peshawar High Court has issued a stay order to prevent any interference with the property. It issued notices to the parties involved, seeking their responses.

A bench consisting of Justices Ijaz Anwar and Syed Arshad Ali heard the petition filed by Peshawar Railways Divisional Superintendent Maqsood Ahmad, through advocate Saleem Shah Swati. The petition named Bakht Zada Zarina, a resident of Takht Bhai, Mardan, the deputy land commissioner, the Mardan revenue additional assistant commissioner, and others as respondents.

The petition alleges that the deputy land commissioner and the revenue additional assistant commissioner, in collusion with the local tehsildar and patwari, allotted 9 kanals and 16 marlas of Pakistan Railways' land to the woman named Bakht Zarina.

When Zarina sought possession of the land, Peshawar Railways Divisional Superintendent Maqsood Ahmad sent a letter to the FIA for an inquiry, claiming that the land, valued in millions, had been allotted illegally. Consequently, the FIA initiated an inquiry, and the railway authorities also filed a petition against the allotment.

The petition requested the court to annul the order issued on July 25, 2024, by the additional assistant commissioner and the related warrants concerning possession. After hearing preliminary arguments, the two-member bench has restrained the Mardan deputy commissioner from further actions and directed the revenue additional assistant commissioner to submit a response within 14 days, while also preventing any interference with the land.