LAHORE: The Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) on Monday issued a stay order against an anti-encroachment drive being carried out in Miani Sahib Graveyard Lahore.
As a three-member bench headed by Justice Maqbool Baqar heard a plea moved by an aggrieved family known as “Faqeer family”, the court observed that the land was in possession of Faqeer family from centuries and no one had claimed ownership to date.
Counsel for the aggrieved party, Senior lawyer Hamid Khan apprised the bench that the land has been transferred in the family on a hereditary basis.
He added that the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has demolished the boundary wall of a private graveyard, violating rules and regulations.
To this, Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik inquired about the date when the land was allotted to the family.
Responding to the bench’s query, Hamid informed that land was not allotted to his client as it was inherited and showed a trust deed signed in 1848 in this regard.
The bench observed that LDA demolished the graveyard’s boundary wall without prior notice to the concerned party.
Subsequently, the bench issued notices to the Miani Sahib graveyard Committee Lahore and LDA to appear before the bench and present their point of view.
The bench also halted the operation in Miani Sahib till further order and adjourned the hearing.
