LAHORE: The Lahore High Court issued a stay order on Thursday, restraining the management committee and the developer from carrying out any further work on the Punjab University (PU) housing scheme.

The stay order was passed by Justice Shahid Jamil Khan on a petition by PU Assistant Professor Khurram Shahzad, alleging corruption of billions of rupees in the PU Employees Housing Scheme, commonly known as Town–III.

A counsel representing the university informed the court that the administration had disassociated itself from the housing project.

The judge expressed regret that neither the PU authorities nor the Lahore Development Authority were willing to take responsibility for the housing scheme. He noted that even the professors who had been allotted land by the society were distancing themselves from the project.

The petitioner’s counsel, Shahbaz Bokhari, informed the court that the land of the housing scheme was being sold to new buyers.

Justice Khan observed that the allotment of the scheme’s land in the name of individuals/professors appeared to be illegal.

The judge issued the stay order against any further work on the project and requested further arguments to be presented after the Eidul Azha vacations.

The petitioner argued that the housing scheme was launched in 2016 under the supervision of the PU administration. He stated that the professors and employees of the university had purchased plots in the society based on the goodwill of the management committee, which comprised professors.

He added that despite more than six years passing, the committee had failed to initiate any development work in the scheme.

The petitioner highlighted that an inquiry conducted by the Anti-Corruption Establishment had also revealed corruption in the affairs of the management committee, headed by its secretary, Prof Azhar Naeem.

He requested the court to direct the LDA to take immediate action regarding approval, regularization, and development work of Town-III, and to instruct the PU Vice-Chancellor to initiate a transparent process for the commencement of development work under his supervision.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2023