Land dispute: ‘Why can’t the LHC summon the CM?’

Counsel asks to elaborate on chief minister’s immunity

LAHORE: Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi of the Lahore High Court issued a notice to the provincial government on Monday on a petition by the government challenging court summons for the chief minister in a case of non-payment of land acquired for the Nazaria Pakistan Trust.

On May 8, the judge had directed the chief minister – also chairman of the Nazria Pakistan Trust – to appear in court on May 14.

On Monday, Justice Lodhi sought arguments from the government’s counsel on May 13 on the question of immunity under Article 248 of the Constitution. The counsel said that the chief minister had immunity from appearing in court. The counsel said there was also no moral ground for summoning the CM. He requested the court to withdraw the order.

The judge had summoned the CM on a petition filed on behalf of the Institute of Islamic Culture.  The petitioner’s counsel had said that in 2009, two kanals and 10 marlas of the petitioner’s land had been allotted to the Nazria Pakistan Trust. He said that the petitioner had paid for the land when it bought it but had not received payment for it when it was allotted to the Nazria Pakistan Trust.

He said since Sharif was the chairman of Nazria Pakistan Trust, he was responsible for the non-payment. He requested the court to issue directions to Sharif to pay the Institute of Islamic Culture.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2015.