Settlement office ordered to process individual cases

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday directed the settlement office Chitral to process applications lodged by individual landholders for rectification of their settlement records. 

The high court, however, restrained the settlement office and the provincial government from passing a final order and concluding the settlement process. 

These directions were issued by the high court while substituting its earlier interim order to the deputy commissioner of Lower Chitral to impound the settlement record in a petition that was filed by the people of Chitral last year.

The request to modify the order was placed before the PHC by Barrister Asadul Mulk, the counsel for the petitioners today.

When the constitutional petition challenging the 1975 notification came up for hearing before the Peshawar High Court today, the additional advocate general appeared on behalf of the KP government and sought an adjournment on the ground that the advocate general himself wanted to plead the case but was unavailable owing to an important engagement today. 

He stated that the case was of immense significance and the government would have to spend billions on rectifying settlement records related to Chitral prepared so far. 

Also in attendance was the deputy advocate general representing the federation of Pakistan.

“In view of the above situation, I requested the High Court to modify the interim order and substitute the order of impounding the settlement record by the DC with a direction to the settlement office to process applications lodged by individuals in Chitral,” said Barrister Asadul Mulk in a statement. 

Further hearing in the case was adjourned to August 2, 2022.