SC to review DHA ordinance

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday issued its verdict in the case regarding the DHA Lahore’s practice of deceiving the masses by selling them plots of land of which it has only taken possession without getting it transferred to its name.
The eight-page verdict told the DHA to issue ads in the media to inform the masses it does not own the land of DHA Phase 7.
Noticing the confession by DHA lawyer that the authority has not got itself audited, the court issued a notice to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP). The court has also decided to review DHA Lahore Ordinance 1999 and Chief Executive Order No 27, 2002 on its own. It also issued a notice to the attorney general of Pakistan, advocate general Punjab and all the provincial governments in this respect.
The court observed that prima facie, these ordinances have raised legal and constitutional questions as they give unlimited powers to a private entity, which has issued notifications declaring its “control areas”, warning people against their violation. Under the Constitution and the law, only the provincial governments are entitled to take such actions, it observed.
The court also declared null and void the DHA Lahore notification about its property. The court reserved its judgment in the case on Wednesday and it was issued on Friday. CJP Jawwad S Khawaja headed the bench comprising Justice Qazi Faiz Esa that heard the case.