Source: Dawn
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday put off the suo motu proceedings begun by ex-chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry against the planned Bahria Golf City near Islamabad to the third week of February.
Justice Chaudhry, before his dismissal as chief justice, had stayed acquisition of land by the Punjab government for the city, on an application of the residents of Salkhaitar village that alleged that Bahria Town proprietor Malik Riaz Hussain had illegally acquired their lands by bribing officials.
The bench now seized with the case was told on Wednesday that a reply had been received from the Bahria Town management how it acquired land in the picturesque Salkhaitar, situated about 15 kilometres from Rawal Dam in the foothills of Murree.
Justice Mohammad Nawaz Abbasi of the bench questioned why the applicants were seeking relief under fundamental rights when they had signed an agreement with Bahria Golf City’s developers.
“We have to go by the law and not by newspapers,” he said, suggesting that the villagers should also consider invoking the Dispossession Act 2004.
However, he observed, the rules of Punjab government which allowed private companies to develop housing schemes had to be examined.
Senator Babar Awan, who is representing the Salkhaitar villagers, requested time to examine the statement filed by the Bahria Town company.
Senior counsel S.M. Zafar, the legal counsel for Bahria Town, requested the court to vacate the stay on the development of Bahria Golf City as the company had deposited Rs80 million as surety but the court adjourned the case till the third week of February.
Salkhaitar is home to over 250 families. According to the villagers more than 1,500 individuals were living off inherited land in Salkhaitar.
They alleged in their application to the Supreme Court last year that Bahria Town company took 659 kanals of their land forcibly.
They accused Malik Riaz Hussain, proprietor of Bahria Town, “enticing innocent locals” through different property dealers to get sanctioned some mutations in their favour from land, Shamlat Ghairmumkin land and hilly land under the land acquisition act, which subsequently was purchased by the proprietors of the Bahria Golf City housing scheme.
They pleaded that the process violated the law as government land could only be acquired for public purpose and welfare.
Their application alleged that excavation work started by the developer in the “illegally acquired” land in the vicinity of Rawal Dam threatened to silt the dam.
It also alleged that the developers behind the Golf City scheme were notorious for land grabbing with the entire revenue hierarchy of the provincial government acting as their tool for illegal gains.
It said the question of highhandedness of M/s Bahria Town and its owner came before the Senate and the National Assembly but the matter was hushed up, again allegedly for gratification.
islamabad, jan 23: a three-member bench of the supreme court on wednesday put off the suo motu proceedings begun by ex-chief justice iftikhar mohammad chaudhry against the planned bahria golf city near islamabad to the third week of february. justice chaudhry, before his dismissal as chief justice, had stayed acquisition of land by the punjab govern- ment for the city, on an appli- cation of the residents of salkhaitar village that alleged that bahria town pro- prietor malik riaz hussain had illegally acquired their lands by bribing officials. the bench now seized with the case was told on wednesday that a reply had been received from the bahria town manage- ment how it acquired land in the picturesque salkhaitar, situ- ated about 15 kilometres from rawal dam in the foothills of murree. justice mohammad nawaz abbasi of the bench questioned why the applicants were seeking relief under fundamental rights when they had signed an agree- ment with bahria golf city’s developers. “we have to go by the law and not by newspapers,” he said, suggesting that the vil- lagers should also consider invoking the dispossession act 2004. however, he observed, the rules of punjab government which allowed private companies to develop housing schemes had to be examined. senator babar awan, who is representing the salkhaitar vil- lagers, requested time to exam- ine the statement filed by the bahria town company. senior counsel s.m. zafar, the legal counsel for bahria town, requested the court to vacate the stay on the development of bahria golf city as the company had deposited rs80 million as surety but the court adjourned the case till the third week of february. salkhaitar is home to over 250 families. according to the vil- lagers more than 1,500 individu- als were living off inherited land in salkhaitar. they alleged in their applica- tion to the supreme court last year that bahria town company took 659 kanals of their land forcibly. they accused malik riaz hussain, proprietor of bahria town, “enticing innocent locals” through different prop- erty dealers to get sanctioned some mutations in their favour from land, shamlat ghairmumkin land and hilly land under the land acquisition act, which subsequently was purchased by the proprietors of the bahria golf city housing scheme. they pleaded that the process violated the law as gov- ernment land could only be acquired for public purpose and welfare. their application alleged that excavation work started by the developer in the “illegally acquired” land in the vicinity of rawal dam threatened to silt the dam. it also alleged that the devel- opers behind the golf city scheme were notorious for land grabbing with the entire revenue hierarchy of the provincial gov- ernment acting as their tool for illegal gains. it said the question of high- handedness of m/s bahria town and its owner came before the senate and the national assembly but the matter was hushed up, again allegedly for gratification.
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Tags: bahria town, Iftikhar Chaudhry, Islamabad, Punjab
2 responses so far ↓
1 allahwadhaiodino // Feb 2, 2008 at 1:13 am
Malik Riaz Hussain of Bahria Town is well known personality in the field of Land Development. He has risen from an ordinary man to one of the Billionaires of Pakistan in the last ten years. One can very well judge how can a man be a Billionaire in such a short time? All this is the Chrisma of Land Grabbing in collusion with Revenue People and other High ups. For this every type of tactics as coersion, black mailing and —-gardi are resorted to pressurise the land owners. 80 million Rupees are nothing as compared to grab 659 kanals of land and oust 250 families near Islamabad. The owners must be paid on market rates and not average land rates as the Revenue Deptt. does in favour of the land acquirers by getting illegal handsome .amounts.
2 Dr. Hamdi // Apr 14, 2008 at 1:34 am
Bahria Town and Defence Housing Authority are the biggest land mafia in the history of Pakistan. These groups are the most corrupt we have ever seen in the history under the leadership of General Musharraf and Nasty idiot Person MALIK RIAZ(an illiterate person who through bribery and providing girls to Military Generals have become billionaire).
They have damaged the whole country. I am afraid that the way Bahria town is looting the country, we may end up with changing the name of Pakistan as Bahria town banana republic …………..This is such a shameful act which is questioning the sovereignty of the state. Thousands of families are being affected by the curse of these groups. Hundreds of people are killed by these people. But no one is taking action against them.
The police department especially the Islamabad police, IG Shahid Balouch, SSP Kalim Imam are their key agents who help them in looting lands of poor people. The islamabad administration headed by chief commissioner Hamid Ali Khan is also part of the game.
The bahria town with the help of DHA and a land developing group Habib Rafiq/ Petrotrade have invaded three villages in Rawat. They have killed more than 10 persons and police is not registering the case aginst the culprits.
The DHA team comprise of Capt Muzamil, Major Imtiaz, Brig Iftikhar(adminsitrator), Brig Javed and colnol Bokhari under the patronship of elite Generals. These people are all the time hovering around the Rawalpindi and grabbing land from poor and helpless people through military card. They have hired a private army of gunmen who are carrying always machine guns and clushenkowes. This is Pakistan, there is no peace and justice for an ordinary citizen.
The other pity is that jewish looby is active in Pakistan in the shape of middle east land developers. EMMAR is one example which has joined hands with DHA and Bahria town. These Jews want to set up a model of EAST INDIA company to occupy the whole Pakistan. These will be sitting in the capital city of Pakistan and plan to take half an hour to occupy the capital. This the real story behind the real estate dealer and smuggler Malik Riaz and his buddy Generals. They want to crack the country from inside. They have controlled all the corners of administration from land revenue department, police department and even Judiciary. I have heard from a reliable source that the Chief Justice and all judges of Rawalpindi High court are nominated on the recommendations of Looter Malik Riaz. Why not he be powerful when he allots luxury apartments and houses to our President, Governors, Generals, Top Bureaucrats and also to the Judges.
This is shame to the Military Generals for showing their greediness and licking the hands of a third class person Malik Riaz. I am not hopeless that ALLAH gives free hand to such kind of people and that day is not far away when he will be hanged in the court of JUSTICE from ALLAH Almighty.
Thousands of Widows and homeless families of Village Takhat Parrian, Rawat, Salkhaitar villagers are praying day and night for the revenge of this bloody idiot Malik Riaz and His father Musharraf………………….
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