ISLAMABAD - The Punjab government has been asked to approach the federal government for compensation for occupation of agriculture institute's land by Pakistan Rangers in Rahim Yar Khan since 1994 till December 2010. A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhary, Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday was hearing a human rights case of illegal occupation of agriculture institute by Rangers. Deputy Attorney General (DAG) for Pakistan Chaudhary Mazhar informed that in perusal of the court order the Rangers had abandoned the possession of the institute. In the last hearing the court had ordered the Rangers to vacate the institute. DCO Rahim Yar Khan contradicted the DAG version and said that 7 acres of the institute's land is still under the control of Rangers. He said that now they are demanding Rs20 million as compensation to vacate it. Lt. Col. Nadeem, Commander Rangers, said that they have constructed a school for the area children and the barracks for the Rangers on that land with their own money that was they asking for compensation. The Chief Justice questioned him, "Is it lawful to do construction on the land which was not legally yours?" The DAG on his behalf replied that the government did not provide land to the Rangers, therefore, they entered into agriculture institute and constructed a school and barracks. The Secretary Agriculture, Punjab, informed that the Rangers have occupied the land since August 16, 1995. The secretary and the DCO Rahim Yar Khan informed the court that the Rangers taken the Agriculture Institute 500 acres lands in Rahim Yar Khan without permission of the provincial and local authorities due to that the researchers and the field staff of the institute suffered. They also told that they wrote letters to the concerned authorities in that regard, but nothing had happened. The court, however, observed that no concrete efforts were made by them except writing letters. The court also noted that could have invoked their jurisdiction but they did not do that. "Not exercising their power shows that they were in collusion with the Rangers, therefore, allowed them to live in the institute's building. The Chief Justice in his order stated that law enforcement agency has no lawful authority to occupy the public building without paying the compensation. Therefore, the Chief Secretary Punjab was directed to take up this matter with the federal secretary of interior. Justice Ramday said that under the law no public property could be taken by anyone in any manner except that has been prescribed in the law. He stated: "Lawlessness has been penetrated in the society from top to street level and the result of that we witnessing in our life." The Chief Justice asked the secretary to move against the officials who have allowed the Rangers to occupy institutes land and disposed of the case.