LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Tuesday observed that the stay order by a civil court needed to be honoured and complied with and restrained the district government from demolishing “Khokhar Palace” further, a residence of PML-N MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar. The Chief Justice suspended a directive of deputy commissioner Lahore about bulldozing the palace and advised both the parties to approach the civil court for the resolution of the dispute.

The chief justice also restrained the Khokhar brothers from reconstructing the demolished property till a decision by a civil court.

Earlier, representing the petitioner, Ahsan Bhoon told the court that the government demolished the property in violation of a stay order passed by a civil court and that too without issuing prior notices. He said the petitioner had been subjected to political victimization. A law officer said a prior notice had been served upon the petitioner before operation and pasted at the property as well. He also opposed the maintainability of the petition and said the petitioner did not approach the court with clean hands. Advocate Bhoon said a high-level committee previously formed by the Supreme Court had declared the petitioner lawful owner of the property in question.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021