ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) administration has dispelled the impression that a judge was in dispute with an allotee of a government accommodation and wants to have his allotment cancelled.

In response to a story published in Dawn on Nov 15 regarding cancellation of 3,000 government accommodations to the public servants in compliance with the IHC direction, the Public Relations Officer of the court confirmed that “ in June the High Court administration had requested for the allotment of the said house to Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, much earlier than the judgement referred in the petition.“

The press release said that the “High Court did not ask for the cancellation or supersession of any other allotment. Further, the Hon’ble judge from the date of elevation i.e. December 22, 2015 till date is living in a private house. The Hon’ble judge never desired for allotment of this or any other specific house.”

As per the press release, “there was no dispute over the house No 28-1 which was allotted to Mr Mohammad Bashir, District and Sessions Judge and is still in his possession.”

Judge Bashir, the longest serving judge of the accountability court of Islamabad is attaining the age of superannuation next year.

The Estate Office has allotted the said house to the Controller General of Accounts (CGA) on “subject to vacancy” basis.

The Estate Office earlier this month cancelled some 3,000 “subject to vacancy” basis allotments of the government houses to the federal government servants including allotments made to over two dozen senior bureaucrats of BS-22. The Estate Office cancelled these allotments in compliance with the direction issued by the IHC. The direction was given in the judgement on the petition which was dismissed by the court on merits. The petitioner Sumera Nazir Siddiqui, a member of Anti Dumping Court, approached the court against the cancellation of a government house allotted to her. After the IHC administration sought this house for Justice Aurangzeb, the Estate Office referred this matter to the secretary housing and works.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2023