LHC stops LDA from any action against Khokhar Palace till Dec 22

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday stopped Lahore Development Authority (LDA) from any action against Khokhar Palace till December 22.

Justice Muhammad Sajid Mehmood Sethi passed the orders on a petition filed by Saif-ul-Malook Khokhar and others against possible demolition of Khokhar Palce and sought reply from DG LDA and others till December 22.

A counsel on behalf of the petitioners argued before the court that after fulfilling all legal requirements, the Khokhar Palace was constructed.

However, the LDA officials and police launched an operation for demolition of the palace on Saturday, he added.

He mentioned that three FIRs were registered in connection with the Palace after the Supreme Court orders whereas the police had discharged two of them and hoped that a third FIR would also be discharged.

He stated that the petitioners had also obtained stay orders from a civil court.

He pleaded with the court to restrain respondents from demolition of the Palace.

To a court question, the counsel stated that the authorities stopped the operation on intervention of the local residents.

He submitted that it was feared that the authorities would launch the operation again.

However, a counsel on behalf of the LDA submitted that the petitioners had also encroached some government land.

He submitted that the civil court had granted stay on a particular area and no operation had been launched against the same.

He stated that a case was also registered against the petitioners and others over resistance during the operation.

Subsequently, the court stopped LDA from any coercive measure, including demolition, till December 22, observing that the civil court had already issued a stay order in this connection and adjourned further hearing till December 22.