LHC seeks replies on plea over burial dispute at Christian graveyard

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has sought replies from respondents on an application seeking permission for burials at a Christian graveyard in Samundri after, according to the plea, a stay order was being used to stop the burial of community members.

Justice Abid Hussain Chattha issued notices after a preliminary hearing on the miscellaneous application filed by Pannu Masih. The plea concerns an 8-kanal, 18-marla plot in Chak No. 212-GB, Samundri, Faisalabad, which the applicant said had been temporarily allotted by the Faisalabad deputy commissioner for use as a Christian graveyard through an order dated May 11.

The application further stated that the land was formally mutated in favour of the Christian graveyard on January 6. It said Khalid Munir later obtained a stay order from the LHC on June 4 against the deputy commissioner’s allotment order, allegedly without informing the court that the land had already been mutated for the graveyard.

According to the plea, Khalid Munir is now using that stay order to prevent the burial of deceased members of the Christian community, causing severe hardship and irreparable loss. The applicant has asked the court to allow burials on the shamlat land designated for the graveyard, while the court has now called for replies from the respondents.