ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday directed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif to submit a reply within two weeks in a suo moto notice pertaining to illegal construction of shops on Pakpattan shrine’s land.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar sought a reply from Nawaz Sharif to be accountable being a chief minister of Punjab in 1985, in the case.
The bench asked the then chief minister that how he could transfer shrine’s property to Dewan Ghulam Qutab, adding that who gave this authority to CM. The case was sub judice before the apex court and CM issued the notification, the bench added.
The bench also questioned the authority of CM by asking Nawaz Sharif that whether a CM could change court’s verdict with his orders.
CJP Nisar asked whether the permission was given to build stores on the property and if yes, then under which law was the permission granted.
Munawar Dughal, counsel for the Nawaz Sharif, requested to grant him some time to submit a reply in the case as he was just engaged in the case.
The bench, while granting him a time of two weeks, adjourned further hearing of the case till the second week of November. On a previous hearing, Punjab additional advocate general informed the court that about 8,000 kanals land of the Pakpattan shrine belonging to the Auqaf Department was sold as per an order in 1985.
However, later on, the Auqaf Department declared it a charitable endowment and a court judgement had also been passed in this regard, he added.
CJP Nisar remarked that SC is the protector of the Constitution of Pakistan.
