KHAIR DIN vs O.S.D., CENTRAL RECORD, LAHORE
The matter arises from a suo motu review petition filed by the petitioner, Khair Din, against the dismissal of his civil petition for leave to appeal by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The core legal question was whether the Supreme Court should exercise its suo motu review power to interfere with concurrent findings of fact where the petitioner had abandoned his original claim of allotment by subsequently applying to purchase the suit land and surrendering his rights to a third party. The Supreme Court held that the petitioner, having abandoned his original stand and sought to purchase the land instead, and having surrendered his rights in favour of his nephew, could not be permitted to reassert his original claim through suo motu proceedings. The court laid down the principle that suo motu powers will not be exercised in favour of a party who has altered their stance, abandoned their original remedy, and pursued alternative proceedings regarding the subject matter.
- Whether the Supreme Court will exercise suo motu review powers when the petitioner has abandoned their original claim of allotment by applying to purchase the suit land?
- Can a petitioner reassert an original claim of allotment through suo motu proceedings after surrendering their rights in the disputed land in favour of another person?
1. SAIDUZZAMAN SIDDIQUI, C.J.- This Court dismissed the civil petition for leave to appeal filed by the petitioner by the following order:-- "This matter stands concluded by a finding of fact. Leave to appeal is refused."
2. On an application filed by the petitioner praying for suo motu review, the case was examined and it was noticed that petitioner Khair Din was non-suited by the authorities on the sole ground that the entry of his M.R. I Form in M.R.-II Register at Serial No. 846 was entered, with a different ink and this entry was also not tick-marked by the verifying officer. MR-III issued in the name of petitioners was, accordingly, held to be not genuine. Since the above reasons given by the authorities for rejecting the claim of petitioner were not found sufficient the case was considered fit for suo motu review of the order dated 28-1-1996 accordingly notice was issued lo respondents.
3. In response to the notice, the learned counsel for the Member Board of Revenue (MBR) has appeared and contested the Suo Motu Review proceedings. Besides contending that there are concurrent findings of fact recorded by the Settlement authorities as well as by the High Court on the question, that the entry in the MR-1 Register is not genuine the learned counsel for M.B.R, has placed before us a copy of the application filed by Khair Din before M.B.R, wherein he prayed that his application for purchase of the land earlier allotted to him which was cancelled, be decided at an early date as directed by the High Court in W.P. No. 129-R of 1997 on 10-6-1997. The learned counsel for M.B.R, has also placed before us photo-copies of the orders passed by the Civil Court in respect of the land which is subject of dispute. On the basis of these documents, Khair Din, having himself abandoned his original stand for allotment of the land by applying to purchase the suit land from the Settlement authorities, he cannot be permitted to reassert his original claim of allotment now through suo motu proceedings. It is further contended that petitioner Khair Din further surrendered his right in the land in favour of Nawab Aslam Javed, who is the real person behind these proceedings. The contentions raised by the learned counsel for M.B.R, appear to be correct.
4. It appears that Khair Din having lost the case throughout made an application to Settlement Authorities tor purchase of the suit land. His application was, however, disposed of by the Settlement authorities, whereupon he filed writ petition before the High Court wherein his only prayer was that the Settlement authorities be directed to dispose of his application for purchase of the disputed land it is also clear from the copies for the orders passed by the Civil Court in Civil Suit No. 145 of 1990 that Khair Din had agreed to the passing of a decree in respect of the suit land in favour of his nephew, Nawab Aslam Javed, who is real person behind these proceedings. In these circumstances, we are of the view that it is not a fit case for exercise of suo motu power. The suo motu petition is, accordingly, dismissed and notice issued to the respondent is vacated.