ISLAMABAD - The Supreme Court has sought commitment from Sindh Board of Revenue that the land of pre-partition Ladies Club in Larkana will not be given on lease.
The three judges' bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Nasir ul Mulk on Thursday heard the suo motu case over the illegal occupation of the pre-partition Ladies Club in Larkana. The CJP has taken notice of the news item published in an English daily. The Ladies Club in Larkana, which hosted the spouses of Sindh's first chief minister and several bureaucrats, has lost a portion of its pre-partition building to the land mafia. The Gomibai Jawaharmal Ladies Club was built by a Hindu deputy collector, who named it after his sister. On January 3, 1934, the club was inaugurated by Mrs. RE Gibson, the wife of a senior British bureaucrat. The club has around 107 members and it runs without any financial support from the government.
The land is owned by the district government but in 2004 the authorities decided to hand it over to a builder who wanted to convert it into a hotel. The report further tells that two shops that fall under the club's jurisdiction have been occupied and the authorities have failed to pay attention to the complaints of club members. During the hearing on Thursday, Deputy Commissioner Larkana appeared before the bench along with the report. He stated in his report that two shops have been rented by the Ladies Club authorities themselves and such income is used for the activities at the club. "One of these two shops has been rented by Gomi Bai Ladies Club to one Balram on monthly rent of Rs2,000 but Balram did not pay his monthly rent for last 11 months and such complaint was raised by the members of Club on which, he (DC) directed through Assistant Commissioner (AC) the concerned shop owner to clear the liabilities and such he has committed to pay the rent," he added.
The report however states that if the concerned shop owner still fails to pay monthly rent then the district administration would definitely get the shop vacated on the request of the club authorities.
Regarding the second shop, the DC reveals that it has also given on rent by club authorities to one Javed against monthly rent Rs2,000 but this shop is closed by the tenant for last two years.
"The notice has been issued to the tenant of the second shop and if he still fails to pay the rent the shop got vacated after observing all legal formalities and such will be handed over to the authorities of the club," says the report.
DC in his report has also rejected the content of media news that in 2004, under the government's decision, the club has been handed over to a builder, who wanted to convert it into a hotel.
"There is no record about any such effort and that currently no such decision has been made or even thought off to convert this club into a hotel as district administration itself promotes such socio cultural activities within the city and would never allow any such move," it added. In December 2014, the DC told that he also met with office holders of Ladies in order to listen to their issues. He ensured the bench that whenever any such complaint has been moved by the Club has always taken prompt notice to solve it, adding that any attempt to grab the land of the club will be dealt with iron hands as per law. "Recently, a good area of about 1062 square feet has been included in the club on the request by the members by constructing one gate in order to provide them safety and security," he added. After going through the contents of DC's report, the bench has sought commitment from the provincial government that land will not be given on lease or use for commercial purposes.
The court however withdrew its notices that were given to other three provinces. The hearing of case is adjourned April 2.