Daily Times

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday suspended the results of the lucky draw of plots’ allotment for government employees, judges, and bureaucrats in sectors F-14 and F-15 of the federal capital.

A two-member bench, comprising IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani, was hearing a petition filed by property owners in villages Thalla Syedan and Jhangi Syedan in Islamabad district against the acquisition of their land. The chief justice said people from whom the land had been acquired would not be affected by the stay order as they had already been allotted alternate plots.

The Federal Government Employees Housing Foundation told the court that the federal cabinet has formed a committee on the matter which would submit a report to the cabinet. The foundation said that plots are being allotted to journalists, lawyers, and employees of autonomous bodies under the quota system.

Upon this, Justice Minallah observed that the court had asked the federal government to explain its policy on the matter. “How did you jump over the people expecting [to be allotted plots] and give them to others?” he questioned. The court was not talking about the affectees but around 32,000 members of the federal government who were awaiting plots, he said. “Why aren’t labourers given a plot?” the chief justice questioned, adding that the federal government should have a policy that only homeless people will get a plot who cannot sell the property later. He stated that there should have been a waiting list, as plots have been allotted to convicted and dismissed judges. “There must be a waiting list. What was the policy? You have also allotted plots to judges who were sacked because of corruption. Is it the policy to encourage corruption?” he asked.

Justice Minallah observed that the federal government has to make a policy on how state land would be distributed, adding that it would have to solve the problem through the report submitted to it by the committee.

FGEHA deputy commissioner informed the court that the government was ready to compensate the affectees but they were “not cooperating”. Justice Minallah remarked that the government’s policy should be to allot plots only to those who did not have homes of their own and prevent them from selling them afterwards.

He again observed, “You also allotted plots to convicted and fired judges.”

The counsel for the FGEHA argued that the judges must have been employed when they filled out the application for the allotment of plots. He informed the court that nobody had been issued a final allotment letter yet, which would only be issued after approval from the relevant department. Upon this, the chief justice remarked that the policy has to be decided by the federal government which would also look at all the issues.

The high court suspended the allotment of plots to government employees, judges and bureaucrats in sectors F14 and 15 through a lucky draw and issued notice to the Attorney General for assistance on October 14.