The shrine of a saint, Baba Fazal Shah Kaliami, near Rawat has been occupied illegally by a land mafia known as Saeen Group allegedly in connivance with the clouts of a local senator, according to the agency.
The occupiers were not vacating the shrine despite a court order.
Sahibzada Mirza Nawaz Sabri, a caretaker and an employee in district courts Rawalpindi, had filed an application with the Auqaf Department to seek possession of the shrine but the Saen Group has refused to vacate it, said a source in the Auqaf Department.
Earlier, Rawalpindi District and Sessions Judge Bahadar Ali Khan had dismissed a stay order obtained by the Saen Group declaring it illegal.
Later, the Saen Group approached the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench, which also rejected the plea for a stay.
LHC judge Justice Khalid Mehmood remarked that the property was owned by the Auqaf Department and it could take its possession whenever it wanted.
Later, Sabri made repeated requests to the Auqaf Department to either take possession of the property or hand over it to him as being the custodian.
When contacted, Evacuee Trust Chairman Siddiqul Farooq told Online that it was a provincial subject and the Auqaf secretary could be contacted on the issue.
Auqaf Secretary Sahibzada Shehr Yar Sultan was contacted several times to seek his version on the issue but he could not be reached.
According to the source, the Saeen Group has close relations with Senator Chaudhry Tanveer and the Auqaf Department was turning a blind eye on the issue.
Muhammad Idrees counsel for Sahibzada Mirza Muhammad Nawaz Sabri Kaliami told Online that they had proved on every forum that Saeen Group was occupying the shrine illegally and the devotees were being misguided. This property is owned by Auqaf Department and Saeen Group is collecting donations and offerings illegally.
