The Punjab government has denied allotting government accommodation to the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) for use as judges’ rest house, saying it was already facing acute shortage of residences to accommodate members of the provincial cabinet, the Board of Revenue and administrative secretaries.
FSC Chief Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmad Khan had demanded allotment of government residence to the court to be used as a judges’ rest house on the ground that Special Benches were being formed in all provinces and FSC judges needed official accommodation urgently.
However, the Punjab government asked the FSC to liaise with the Supreme Court and the Lahore High Court registrars for accommodation for the judges of the FSC at the rest houses already at their disposal.
According to an official document, the Punjab government had already placed 27 residences of GOR-I at the disposal of the LHC and the SC, of which five residences were being used as rest houses for the judges.
The other argument that the Punjab government provided for not being able to provide additional accommodation to FSC judges was that it was already facing a shortage of accommodation for members of the provincial cabinet, members of Board of Revenue, administrative secretaries and other senior officers.
Per a summary signed by the Punjab chief minister, no additional accommodation was provided to the FSC on already stated grounds.
