SC bars politicians from putting their names on govt lands

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) has barred politicians from inscribing their names on government lands, local media reported on Friday.

The Supreme Court (SC) gave the ruling during the hearing of a case related to the ownership of the land of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB). The case was heard by a two-member bench led by Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

After hearing the arguments, the top court stopped the politicians from putting their names on the government lands. The top court’s judge remarked that the trend of installing the plates with the inscriptions of politicians’ names in rural areas and government lands must be stopped.

The judge remarked if any politician wants to donate personal land to the state then the move will be welcomed. After giving the directives, the apex court ordered to send the copies of the ruling to the Punjab government, chief secretary and the Inspector General (IG) Punjab.

A petition filed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) stated that its land near Rawalpindi’s Saidpur Road was declared a rural area by the Centre. It was declared a rural area in 1992 and later its ownership was handed over to the citizens by Pervaiz Elahi in 2008.

The ETPB lawyer apprised the court that a Dharamshala was also situated on the katchi abadi’s land which came under the ownership of the board.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa questioned the evidence of ETPB’s ownership for the land and why the ownership of the Dharamshala was not claimed after a delay. Justice Isa remarked that ETPB has no evidence to own the land and later dismissed the petition.