The Lahore High Court has directed the Punjab government to initiate disciplinary action against the secretary housing and urban development and others for canceling allotment of a plot of one Ghulam Muhammad in violation of rules. The court restoring the allotment of the petitioner's plot directed the authority to pay Rs 10,000 as damages to the petitioner.
The petitioner had challenged the cancellation of ownership of his seven-Marla plot allotted to him in a housing scheme of Chiniot in 1976 by the secretary housing and other officers concerned. The petitioner contended that allotment of the plot was cancelled in violation of settled rules without issuing any show cause notice to him.
Opposing the petition, a law officer stated that since the petitioner had breached the terms and conditions of the allotment, so it was cancelled. The court allowing the petition observed that it being protector of the fundamental rights of the citizens had an obligation to grant relief in exercise of its jurisdiction to the victims. The court observed, "Time has come to evolve new tools to give relief in public law by molding it according to the situation with a view to preserve and protect the rule of law."