LAHORE: The Board of Revenue (BoR) member (judicial VII) has stayed the auction of two properties owned by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The auction was scheduled to be held on Nov 19.

       The member, Muhammad Yaqoob, issued the stay order on an application filed by Abdul Aziz and other claimants of the properties in question. The Lahore division additional commissioner (revenue) had on Oct 29 ordered auction of the properties to recover the fine of ￡8 million imposed on Mr Sharif by trial courts in two references of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

       The district government had also put up notices at the properties regarding the Nov 19 sale. The properties to be auctioned included 936-kanal land in Raiwind and two kanals on Upper Mall, Lahore.

       The aggrieved persons filed a revision petition against the auction along with a civil miscellaneous application for granting status quo in the matter. Advocate Chaudhry Iqbal Ahmad Khan completed his arguments on behalf of the petitioners before the member (judicial VII) during a hearing on Nov 11.

       The BoR member in his order noted that prima facie counsel for the petitioners had satisfied the court to establish his case for granting status quo.

       “The balance of convenience lies in favour of the petitioner,” the member observed, allowing the stay application and suspended the operation of the impugned order passed by the additional commissioner (revenue) till next hearing on Dec 15.

       The member also admitted the revision petition for regular hearing and directed the counsel for the petitioners to get registered notices issued for summoning the respondents on the next date of hearing.

       Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2021