Overseas Pakistanis' land disputes: IHC asks ministry, HRD to submit written reply

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (HRD) to submit a written reply about the mechanism developed to help the overseas Pakistanis in their litigations in land disputes.

A single bench of the IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued these directions, while hearing of a petition of an overseas Pakistani, Zahida Javed Aslam, who cited the secretary Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and chairman Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF), as respondents. In her petition, Ms Aslam raised grievances, and alleged that she had been defrauded.

During the hearing, representatives of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, and the OPF were present.

The bench directed the ministry to inform the court before the next hearing that what procedure it had adopted to remove the grievances of the overseas Pakistanis.

The IHC chief justice remarked that the assets and lands of overseas Pakistanis were being grabbed, and asked from the representatives how their departments were working to mitigate their problems.

At this, the OPF law officer told the court that in that regard, they had established a complaint cell in 2011 to redress the issues of overseas Pakistanis.

Upon that, the CJ asked whether they contacted the petitioner, and expressed his annoyance when the law officer replied that they had not contacted the affected woman.

He observed that their system was not working. The law officer further informed that their focal persons were working in 19 countries to redress the problems of the overseas Pakistanis. He added that they had no power of decision in those matters. Justice Minallah remarked that the court was not asking you to decide the matters but try to resolve their issues. Then he asked whether they had a list of complaints of overseas Pakistanis in their Islamabad office.

The officer replied in negative, and the judge remarked that "if you do not have the list, it means the OPF is not doing its work properly."

The IHC CJ said that this case is a test case for the OPF.

He maintained that this court would not affect the rights of any people but it should be informed about the ground realities.

Then the court directed the representatives to inform that whether there is any mechanism in place whereby such grievances submitted by the overseas Pakistanis are processed and followed by appropriate action.

Later, the court deferred the hearing till July 9 for further proceedings in this matter.

On the previous hearing, the IHC bench had noted that courts of Islamabad Capital Territory are inundated with litigation relating to the overseas Pakistanis, and the right of access to justice of overseas Pakistanis appears to be violated because of their inability to resolve disputes.