Nawaz reaches SC in 1985 Pakpattan shrine land case

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrives at the Supreme Court. Photo: Geo News screengrab

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived at the Supreme Court on Tuesday in connection to a case concerning allotment of Auqaf property attached to the shrine of Hazrat Baba Fariduddin Masud Ganj Shakar in Pakpattan.

The case, dating back to 1985, involves illegal allotment of Auqaf Department’s land in Pakpattan to an individual, Dewan Ghulam Qutab, in violation of a Lahore High Court order.

Nawaz was the chief minister of Punjab province when the land belonging to the Auqaf department was transferred.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar had summoned the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo to appear before the court on December 4 (today) to explain his position in the case.

Nawaz, in his reply, had requested the court to discharge the notice issued to him in the interest of justice. He had contended that the case was a very old matter, dating back 33 years, and therefore he did not recall having passed any such order.

In 2015, former chief justice Nasirul Mulk had taken a suo motu notice over the illegal allotment of the shrine land to individuals in 1985 in violation of the LHC order.