Payment for land: Chief secy told to settle issue by May 25

No payment made for land acquired from Institute of Islamic Culture.

LAHORE: Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi of Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered the chief secretary to resolve the issue of non-payment of the price of land acquired by the Nazria Pakistan Trust from the Institute of Islamic Culture.

The judge ordered the chief secretary to submit a report over the issue by May 25.

During the hearing, the judge observed that the law for acquisition of land should be implemented in letter and spirit.

Earlier, Chief Secretary Khizar Hayat Gondal appeared before the court.

On his behalf, Advocate General Naveed Rasool Mirza sought more time from the Lahore High Court for paying the amount.

The judge said the petitioner had been knocking at the court doors for six years.

Earlier, the court had summoned the Punjab chief minister, who is the chairman of the Nazria Pakistan Trust. On a request by the government, the court exempted the CM from appearance and instead summoned the chief secretary.

According to the petitioner’s counsel, in 2009, land measuring 2 kanals and 10 marlas was allotted to the Nazria Pakistan Trust. “The trust had to pay the price for the acquired land. However, it has not done so far,” he said.

He said that the chief minster, being the trust’s chairman, was responsible for the non-payment of the price. He requested the court to issue directions to the NPT chairman to make the payment.

At the last hearing, an additional secretary for the Revenue Department had said that the land was acquired on the directions of the Board of Revenue member and thus the trust chairman was not responsible for making the payment.

The judge was not satisfied with the reply and had summoned the trust chairman and Board of Revenue member.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 15^th, 2015.