RAWALPINDI: The Lahore High Court’s(LHC)Rawalpindi bench on Monday ordered the de-sealing of Lal Havelli, which had been closed down by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB)in the early morning.
LHC Justice Waqas Rauf Mirza, while hearing an application filed by the former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, ordered the de-sealing of Lal haveli, which belonged to the Awami Muslim League Chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.
The court asked the ETPB to decide the rest of the property land after hearing the petitioner within 15 days.
Earlier in the day, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed applied before the Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench after the ETPB had sealed four shops on Haveli’s ground floor and residential part of the building.
Earlier Awami Muslim League (AML) chief Sheikh Rashid Ahmad moved an application before the Lahore High Court s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench against the sealing of the Lal Haveli by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB).
Advocate Sardar Raziq Khan, on behalf of the AML chief, while submitting the plea urged the court to hold an urgent hearing which was accepted.
According to ETPB Deputy Commissioner Asif Khan, two units of the Lal Haveli and five adjoining units were sealed after teams of the board along with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrived at the spot early morning today.
Khan said Rashid’s ownership of these Lal Haveli units had been cancelled over illegal occupation of land. Several notices had also been issued to Rashid and his brother in this regard, he added.
Taking to Twitter, the former minister has claimed that Lal Haveli was his “personal property” and a “central secretariat for public service”. He said he didn’t receive a notice prior to the action, adding sealing Lal Haveli was an act of fascism and terrorism.
“If it is proven that Lal Haveli is not our personal property, we should be declared national criminals,” Rashid said, claiming that the government took this step after it failed to find anything against him.
The former federal minister went on to say that a case pertaining to the ownership of the Lal Haveli was already fixed for hearing on February 15.
