LAHORE - Supreme Court Lahore Registry was moved to direct the government to start immediately the construction of Kalabagh Dam here Monday.
AK Dogar advocate in his petition stated that Kalabagh Dam was the need of the hour and there was no technical objection over its construction. He said KBD had been made controversial on political grounds while its construction was in the best interest of the country.
He requested the court to direct the government to start immediately the construction of the dam.
LHC directs PM ‘s relative to appear in person
Lahore High Court on Monday directed Mian Aslam Bashir, relative of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to appear in person before the court and explain why did he oppose sale of four units of Ittefaq Group to return loan to various banks taken by the Sharif family.
Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial was hearing several petitions about auction of the Ittefaq Foundry’s subsidiaries Ittefaq Brothers and Brother Steel Mill for loan of billions of rupees.
Ashtar Ausaf, the counsel of Sharif Family, appeared in the court and submitted that five out of seven shareholder families of the Ittefaq foundry including sitting Prime Minister had given consent to the sale.
However, he said, view of the sixth family was yet to come and the seventh namely Mian Aslam Bashir had objected to the sale. At this the Chief Justice issued notice to Mian Bashir and directed him to appear in the court on next date of hearing. The CJ also directed Al-Rehmat Group, buyer of the Ittefaq foundry’s units to submit schedule of the payment on next hearing.
During the course of hearing, Sale Committee told the court that one of its members Chartered Accountant Khawaja Abdul Qadeer disappeared after misappropriating Rs 40 million.
Upon which, the CJ directed the committee to get record of Qadeer verified by Nadra and produce him before the court.
A group of eight banks had sanctioned a collective loan of Rs3.11 billion to Ittefaq Group of industries between 1982 and 1998. In most cases the loan was not paid back and the banks added the markup charges to the actual credit.
A single bench had accepted a petition of the banks for sale of Ittefaq Foundries, Brothers Steel at Kot Lakhpat, Ittefaq Brothers at Shahdara and Ilyas Enterprises at Bund Road Lahore. These units were surrendered by Nawaz Sharif’s family against bank liabilities for adjustment of loan. The further hearing will be resumed on May 9.