LAHORE – The Supreme Court on Thursday winded up a suo motu notice against PML-N MNA Afzal Khokhar and MPA Saiful Malook Khokhar, and ordered the relevant authorities to strike off their names from the Exit Control List (ECL).
A three-member bench, comprising Justice Manzoor Malik, Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, issued the orders at the SC’s Lahore Registry.
Justice Manzoor Malik remarked during the hearing that the bench does not have material information about the circumstances in which the suo motu action was taken by former top judge Mian Saqib Nisar.
“Those blessed with authority by God should use it with caution,” he remarked without naming anyone.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that the court can’t go beyond its limitations, urging that all institutions should function in their own domain.
The director general of the Lahore Development Authority Amina Imran Khan turned up before the bench and faced harsh remarks as well.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pml-n-lawmaker-afzal-khokhar-arrested-on-land-grabbing-charges/
Justice Malik told her to desist from using the court to route the cases to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
“Do your own work and let the apex court discharge its duty,” he remarked.
The court inquired if the LDA and the Member Board of Revenue Tariq Najeeb, present in the court, had taken any action against the accused before the suo motu notice to which Najeem replied that they had compiled reports that held Khokhar guilty.
“Then take action as per the law,” Justice Malik responded, and added that judges aren’t prosecutors and they can’t investigate as well.
The top court also directed the conclusion of cases against the Khokhar brothers in the Anti-Corruption Establishment as per the law.
On the occasion, the director general LDA claimed that anti-corruption officials were harassing her.
“You have the law, take the legal course, don’t include us,” Justice Shah responded.
Former chief justice Saqib Nisar had taken suo motu notice and issued orders to put the names of the two politicians on the ECL after a complaint by overseas Pakistanis that the duo had illegally occupied their land.
