RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench has directed the authorities to remove encroachments from two residential plots in Media Town and hand over their possession to the rightful owners by Monday.

Justice Jawad Hassan issued the orders while hearing petitions filed by senior journalists Mohammad Asghar and Abdul Latif, who accused the housing society’s management of denying them possession despite full payment and official allotment of their plots.

The court directed the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rawalpindi, Director Punjab Housing and Town Planning Agency (PHATA), Director General Co-operative Housing Society, and the Media Town management committee to ensure compliance with the ruling.

Justice Hassan emphasised that the court would adjourn only after confirmation of implementation.

Advocate Saeed Yousuf Khan, representing the petitioners, argued that the Media Town management had deliberately deprived the journalists of their plots to favor an influential Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) figure.

He presented evidence of encroachment before the court, along with an investigative report from the Punjab government’s Housing, Urban Development, and Public Health Engineering Department.

The report, issued on Feb 6, was prepared by a special committee comprising officials from PHATA Lahore and Rawalpindi. It confirmed violations in the society’s layout plan and held the Rawalpindi Press Club Cooperative Housing Society responsible for denying the petitioners their plots.

The Probe Committee stated: “The Rawalpindi Press Club Cooperative Housing Society is bound to give possession to the owners of plot #334-A and 335-A as per the approved layout plan (LOP) and is responsible for violating the approved scheme. Action may be taken against the society’s representatives as per the law.”

The committee recommended that encroachments be removed to restore possession to the complainants. If relocation was necessary, it should comply with prevailing rules and regulations.

In line with the LHC’s directives, the Director PHATA Rawalpindi was instructed to assist in demarcating the plots. The concerned authorities, including the management committee of the housing society, were ordered to implement the court’s decision.

Copies of the probe report were forwarded to the Secretary Information and Culture Department Punjab, the Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi, the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, and the Director PHATA Rawalpindi for further action. The court is set to review the matter on Monday to ensure compliance with its orders.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2025