President Alvi directs restoration of land to elderly woman Mst Munawar Bibi in Bara Kahu area of Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, June 13 (SABAH): President Dr. Arif Alvi has upheld the orders of the Federal Ombudsman for Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH) directing the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad to restore the possession of the 10-marla property to an elderly lady, whose property had been allegedly occupied by land grabbers in Bara Kahu area of Islamabad.

President Dr. Arif Alvi gave these directions while deciding upon a representation filed by Malik Abdul Majeed and others against the orders of FOSPAH.

As per details, Mst Munawar Bibi (complainant) had filed a complaint before FOSPAH under the Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act, 2020 stating that Malik Abdul Majeed and Jawad Shoukat (petitioners) belonged to a “qabza mafia” and had illegally taken possession of her plot by erecting boundary wall around it. FOSPAH passed the orders in her favour and directed DC Islamabad to restore possession of the complainant.

The petitioners preferred a review petition which was rejected on the ground that it had been proved that Mst Munawar Bibi was the owner of the property and it was transferred in her name through the registered sale deed in 1979 and its entry had also been made in the revenue records. FOSPAH had directed the SHO of Bara Kahu Police Station to take steps to restore possession, take assistance from Patwari Halqa on the spot, and use all legal means in connection with the restoration of the plot to the complainant. The petitioners, then, filed a representation before the President stating that they were the owners of the plot and the land of the complainant was entirely different from theirs, but FOSPAH had failed to appreciate this fact.

The President rejected the representation of the petitioners on the ground that representation had been filed after a delay of one month and twenty-five days when it should have been filed within 30 days of the receipt of the order. He observed that since the petitioners had not averred anything about the date of the receipt of the orders, thus, the representation was hit by the bar of the limitation. “Needless to observe that in case, any issue of proper identification of property arises, the same may be addressed in the implementation process”, he said. He concluded that the representation was not only time-barred but also devoid of merits and directed to implement the orders of FOSPAH. 

Meanwhile President Dr. Arif Alvi on Tuesday condoled with the bereaved family members of the Pakistan Army soldiers who embraced martyrdom for the country. He paid tribute to the martyrs for sacrificing their lives for the sake of the country’s security.

He called over the telephone, the family members of martyred Sepoy Inayatullah and Hasnain Ishtiaq, who embraced martyrdom in Sangwan, Balochistan on June 1, and expressed sympathies with them. He also hailed the martyrs’ patriotism and bravery.

The president also phoned the father of Lance Naek Meraj Uddin who was martyred in North Waziristan on June 3. Besides, he called the father of Naek Zaheer Abbas who embraced martyrdom in Mir Ali on June 4, and expressed his heartfelt condolence to him.

The president also extend his sympathies to the bereaved family members of Havaldar Muhammad Anwar and Naeb Subedar Ghulam Murtaza who were martyred in Jani Khel on June 4. President Alvi also contacted the family members of Lance Naek Sabir who embraced martyrdom in South Waziristan on June 5.

Paying tributes to the services and sacrifices of the martyrs for their country, President Alvi thanked the families of the martyrs on behalf of the nation. He also prayed to Almighty Allah for the elevation of ranks of the departed souls in paradise.