Sheikh Rashid’s plea to stop action against Lal Haveli rejected

RAWALPINDI: The Civil Judge, Rawalpindi, Naveed Akhtar Lohan, has rejected the application of former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to stop an action against Lal Haveli.

The court declared its decision on an application here on Saturday. The judge remarked that the judiciary cannot interfere in administrative matters.

The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), in its final notice, warned the Awami Muslim League (AML) chief to vacate the Lal Haveli by 31 January or it would take action.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had filed an application in a civil court, Rawalpindi, and requested to stop action against Lal Haveli. In his application, he told the court that he was the real owner of Rawalpindi’s Lal Haveli. But the court rejected his application and remarked that the judiciary cannot interfere in administrative matters.

Rashid, who also served as an interior minister during the last PTI government, denied the claims of the district administration, saying that he had the legal right to the property.

The ETPB has sought the land revenue record of Lal Haveli from the land revenue branch of the district administration to verify the claim of ownership of former interior minister. The ETPB also wrote a letter to Deputy Commissioner, Rawalpindi, to help the district administration to vacate the political centre of Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, who is the chief of AML.

The ETPB wrote a letter to the deputy commissioner Rawalpindi to provide police assistance to get the possession of Lal Haveli. However, the former interior minister claimed that he had legal documents of the land revenue branch.