SC seeks detailed report over non registration of FIR against accused involve in land grabbing

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Tuesday directed the Central Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi to submit a detailed report over non registration of First Information Report (FIR) against accused over detaining and torturing government officials for grabbing the forest land in Loui Bher and Takht Pari areas of Rawalpindi district.

The two member bench comprising Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja and Justice Dost Muhammad resumed hearing of the case.

The honourable bench asked Central Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi to submit reply that why police ignored Chief Conservatives' directions that clearly asked to lodge FIR against the officials of a private housing society whose employees detained and tortured the government officials in their bid to grab the government land which is situated in Loi Bher and Takht Parri, Rawalpindi district.

During the course of proceedings, Aitzaz Ahsen counsel for Bahria Town appeared before the bench and pleaded that his client has filed an application before the bench and the bench should hear that application first.

He said that his client has requested the court to exclude one judge namely Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja from the bench.

On which, Justice Jawwad remarked that if any solid reason has been stated in the application then it should be informed to the court and he would exclude himself from the bench and some other judge would hear the case.

He remarked that if the applicant failed to submit any solid reason before the bench then he would continually hear the case.

The Petitioner Muhammad Shafi former Officer in Forest Department also appeared before the bench and requested to court to early fix case as it is a matter of billions of rupees scam. He alleged that the defence counsel was using delaying tactics.

He informed the court that the forest department officials were demarking the 1450 acers of forest land and dozens of armed men attacked on them and detained them.

He said that the armed men released them after severe torture.

The matter was also taken into the notice of Inspector General Punjab and the Chief Conservative ordered to lodge FIR against all the accused but no FIR was lodged against them despite passing 10 years, he said and added that the concerned department remained failed to vacate 685 acres of forest land from the housing society.

Justice Jawwad Summoned remarked that if the government department was facing difficulty in lodging FIR then what will happen with the ordinary citizens. He asked that the court should be informed that why an FIR was not lodged despite passing so many years.

He asked Razzaq A Mirza Additional Advocate General Punjab to reply that whether any Rules of Law existed in the Punjab province.

He remarked that if police failed to lodge FIR then the court would issue its directive.

Razzaq A Mrza told the bench that neither police lodge FIR against the accused nor it submitted any reply in this regard. Aitzaz Ahsen counsel for Bahria Town said that it was an old case and at many times the land was demarcated.

Later, hearing of the case was adjourned till July 23.