ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court (SC) has imposed fine amounting to Rs one million on Punjab government for building road without paying compensation to owner of 9 marla land. Court has directed amount of penalty be also paid to owner of land. Court ordered government of Punjab to pay compensation to owner of land within 30 days as per current rate.

3-member bench of SC presided over by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa took up case for hearing. On frivolous litigation CJP Qazi Faez Isa expressed resentment with Additional Advocate General Punjab Baligh uz Zaman.

CJP while moving to AAG Punjab remarked petitioner had not gifted land to government nor did government acquire land as per law. What is duty of AAG. How such frivolous application was filed. Why did you file petition of such frivolous case in SC. CJP inquired how did government build road on some one’s land without permission and without paying compensation. Are we left with only this job that we should keep on teaching Constitution to advocate generals. As to why we should not slap fine on you for such frivolous litigation.  Time of court is being wasted besides public resources by filing frivolous cases. Frivolous and wrong cases are filed by sidelining real cases.

Court while rejecting Punjab government appeal plea ordered to pay compensation to owner of land. Appellate court and high court gave decision in favour of owner of land and SC upheld it.  Punjab government had built road on land of citizen Liaqat Ali in Gujranwala in 2007.

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 14 2023

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