ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) was told that Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, former SC judge, made 38.5 per cent payment of a plot, he bought in the most expensive locality of the Punjab provincial capital, through Lahore Smart City (Private) Limited.
The SJC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa, who is also Chairman of the SJC, and comprises two most senior judges of the Supreme Court – Justice Sardar Tariq Masood, and Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, and – Lahore High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Naeem Afghan, on Thursday, heard the complaints against former SC judge in Courtroom No1 in open court as the former judge had asked the Council that his case be heard in open court.
The statements of seven prosecution witnesses, which included Abdul Ghafar, Deputy Military State Officer, Lahore, Kashif Shehzad, Executive Officer Lahore Cantonment Board, Asif Aziz, Director of a private evaluation company, Kashif Rehman, Director of another private evaluation company, Jehangir Khan Khattak, Regional Director NADRA, Lahore, Jazeela Aslam, Secretary SJC, and Chaudhry Muhammad Shahbaz, who sold plot to Justice Naqvi, were recorded. The witnesses also provided the relevant documents to the Council.
The Council summoned a concerned officer of Lahore Smart City (Private) Limited, and the manager of Askari Bank, Cantt branch, Lahore. The bank officer was asked to bring the relevant record of the pay order through which Justice Naqvi had made the advance payment to Chaudhry Shahbaz for plot 100/102 adjacent to St John’s Park, Lahore.
Attorney General for Pakistan Usman Mansoor Awan, who is appointed prosecutor in this case, requested the Council that since that one payment of Rs50 million came from Smart City and the pay order for that was issued by the Askari Bank, Cantt branch, Lahore; therefore, its manager be summoned with relevant record.
Chairman SJC Justice Qazi Faez informed that Justice Naqvi wrote a letter to the SJC informing that he has cancelled the Power of Attorney of advocate Khawaja Haris in this case.
Khawaja Haris, who was present in the court also confirmed about cancellation of his Power of Attorney.
Justice Faez said as the appeal against the SJC proceeding is pending before the Supreme Court; therefore, they are only recording the statement and if will be decided after the final outcome by the SC.
Justice Faez said that on the request of Justice Naqvi, the Council proceeding was conducted in the open court, so that if someone on behalf of the ex-judge wanted to cross-examine the prosecution witnesses, he could do so, but no one did it.
Chaudhry Shahbaz informed the SJC that he had two wives – Bisma Warsi and Shehzadi. He further said that from Bisma Warsi, who was the owner of the said plot, he has three sons, while from Shehzadi has two daughters and one son.
He said after the death of Bisma Warsi, who died on 6-12-2020, he along with elder son Hussain Warsi, had filed a suit for the declaration of legal heirs of Bisma. Chaudhry Shahbaz admitted that he had given wrong statement before the civil court, Lahore, that he and his son – Hussain Warsi – are the only legal heirs of Bisma.
Chaudhry Shahbaz informed the Council that he wanted to obtain permission from the Guardian Court about the succession of all three, as they were minors at that time, but Syed Mustafa Naqvi son of Justice Mazahar Naqvi advised me to file the suit for declaration of legal heirs. He stated that Mustafa Naqvi and Justice Naqvi knew that I have three sons from Bisma, but they told me to forget about obtaining a decree from the Guardian Court, and if that be required then get it later on.
He said that he received a total of Rs130 million, which was paid through two pay orders and Rs30 million in cash.
At that, AGP Usman Mansoor said before sale deed, both parties signed an agreement for sale of plot. According to it, Rs80 million was paid as an advance, out of that Rs50 million was paid through a pay order, issued by Askari Bank in the name of Lahore Smart City.
Abdul Ghafar, Deputy Military State Officer, Lahore, said that property 100/102 was originally in possession of Muhammad Ishaq Warsi, who gifted it to his wife – Naseema Warsi. He said Naseema passed away on 17-07-2004, thereafter, the plot was transferred to Bisma Warsi. The case is adjourned until today (Friday).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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