Muhammad Bashir Vs. Government of Punjab

IN THE FEDERAL SHARIAT SPURT

( A p p ella te J u r isd ic tio n T

PRESENT

M r.J u stice A fta b H u ssain C h ief J u s t ic e M r.J u stice A l i H ussain Q azilb ash M r.J u stice Z a h o o r u l Haque M r.J u stice Ch.Muhammad S i d d i q u e M r.J u stice M a u l a n a M a l i k Ghulam A l i

SHARIAT PETITION N o . 5 / 1 OP 1 9 8 £

Muhammad B a s h i r ----- P etitio n er

Versus

G ovjt.of Punjab ----- Respondent

C ounsel fo r the -— In person P etitio n er Counsel -'or the -"cdcral '-ovt. Ch. I f t i k h a r H ussein . (.-.VOC u o C ou n sel f o r the Gbvt. o,: -unjub H a f i z 5 . n . Heilman Advoceto D gte o f h e a r in g ----- 6 -2 -1 ^

S5

•judgment:

MR,JUSTICE AFTAB HUSSAIN.CHIEF JUSTICE

The P u n j a b H i g h w a y s O r d i n a n c e , 1959 was prom ulgated to c o n s o l i d a t e a n d amend t h e Law r e l a t i n g t o Highways i n t h e p r o v i n c e o f P u n ja b . I t p rovid es in ter-a lia (a) for l a y i n g o r m aking o u t a highw ay

(b)tu rn in g, d iv ertin g or c lo sin g i t or a part th ereof eith er te m p o r a r ily o r p erm a n en tly , ( c) w idenin g i t , a lterin g its le v e l, im p ro v in g o r r e p a y in g i t and ( d) r e g u l a t i n g t h e k i n d , n u m b e r , an d s p e e d i n g o f v eh icle b y m e ans o f b a r r i e r s , d i v e r s i o n r o a d s and a l l o t h e r m e ans w h a t s o e v e r . (S ectio n 5 ) . For t h is purpose i t creates a Highway A u t h o r i t y ( S e c t i o n ^ ) , Tt p r o h i b i t s e v e r y b od y from m ak in g any e n c r o a c h m e n t o n t h e Highway ( S e c t i o n 6 )“ I t p r o h ib its openin g o r b reak in g o f the su r fa c e o f any high w ay, c o n s t r u c ­ t i n g o r c a r r y in g any c a b l e , w ir e , p ip e , d rain , sewer o r ch a n n el o f any k in d , th rou gh , a c r o s s , under or a v e r Contd 2

any highw ay, rep a ir in g or a l t e r i n g or ex ecu tin g any work o n , o r i n r e l a t i o n to any e x i s t i n g c a b l e , w ire, d rain , sew er o r c h a n n e l o f any k in d , runn ing through, i n o r o v e r s u c h H ighways ( e x c e p t w i t h th e p e r m i s s i o n o f t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y ) . But t h e A u th ority i t s e l f is e x e m p te d from t h e p r o v i s i o n s o f S e c t i o n 6 and S e c t i o n 7 - Xt p r o v i d e s f o r t e m p o r a r y c l o s u r e o f highw ay i n t e r - a l i a f o r d i v e r s i o n f o r w hich r e a s o n a b le com pensatidn i s payable f o r damage c a u s e d to any la n d , to th e owner t h e r e o f ( S e c t i o n 12). It a lso p rovid es f o r th e permanent c lo s u r e o f t h e Highway s u b je c t to the general n o tice and a l s o s u b j e c t to the f a c i l i t y o f appeal a g a in st th at order. I f any i n t e r f e r e n c e o r da m age i s c a u s e d by r e a s o n o f any work on a highw ay w h ic h i s done by t h e o r d e r o f th e Highway A u t h o r i t y , it p r o v id e s f o r r e s t o r a t i o n o f the t h i n g i n t e r f e r e d w i t h o r damaged, to its p reviou s p o s i t i o n and c o n d i t i o n and i n c a s e such r e s to r a tio n be n o t p o s s i b l e , fo r rep lacem en t o f th e same f a c i l i t y and. p a y m e n t o f c o m p e n s a t i o n w h e r e v e r n e c e s s a r y s u b j e c t to th e r i g h t o f th e p erso n a g g r ie v e d to ap p ly to the G overnm ent a g a i n s t t h e a c t i o n o f t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y i n w hich c a s e t h e government i s o b lig ed to r e fe r the d isp u te f o r d e c i s i o n by a r b i t r a t i o n . ( S e c t i o n 14).

P r o v i s i o n s a r e a l s o made f o r r e g u l a t i o n o f c l a s s e s o f v e h ic le s o r an im als u s in g a highw ay ( S e c t i o n 15, 19-22). In a d d itio n p r o c e d u r a l p r o v i s i o n s a re added ( C h a p t e r V I an d S e c t i o n 2 3 ) . A nu mb er o f m i s c e l l a n e o u s p r o v isio n s are a lso added, f o r exam ple( a ) t h a t a l l p e r so n s a c t i n g under th e a u t h o r it y o f th e government o r a n y H i g h w a y A u t h o r i t y s h a l l be d e e m e d t o be p u b lic servants (S ec tio n 2 6 ), (b) t h a t no s u i t , or ( X o n t d 3.

le g a l proceed in g s h a ll l i e f o r a n y th in g done in good f a i t h u n d e r o r i n p u r s u a n c e o f t h e A u t h o r i t y o r r u l e s made t h e r e u n d e r ^ ( S e c t i o n 27)y and ( c ) that th e Government i s empowered t o frame r u l e s f o r the purpose o f c a r r y in g in to e f f e c t the p r o v is io n s o f th is O rdinance ( S e c t i o n 2 9 ) .

S ectio n 28(2) n e e d s s p e c i a l m en tio n as

it p r o v i d e s t h a t w h e r e t h e amount o f c o m p e n s a t i o n p a y a b l e c a n n o t be a g r e e d u p o n i t s h a l l be d e t e r m in e d by a r b i t r a t i o n .

The p r o v i s i o n s ' w i t h w h i c h we a r e c o n c e r n e d in th is p e t i t i o n are s e c t io n s 8 ,9 ,1 6 ,1 7 read w ith S ectio n 10 a n d 1 8 . S e c t i o n 8 ( 1 ) p rovid es that i t s h a l l n o t b e l a w f u l w i t h o u t t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e Highway A u th o r ity l-

a) t o c o n s t r u c t o r l a y o u t any means o f a c c e s s to o r from t h e h i g h w a y .

b) to e r e c t any b u i l d i n g upon la n d w i t h i n tw o h u n d r e d a n d t w e n t y f e e t f r o m t h e m iddle o f th e high w ay.

S e c t i o n 9 a u t h o r i s e s t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y to adopt th ese r e s tr ic tio n s a s r e s p e c l ^ a n y Highway to w hich s e c t i o n 8 i s not ap p lica b le a fte r p u b licatio o f p u b lic n o tic e s i n v i t i n g o b j e c t i o n s and the s a n c t io n o f the governm ent.

S e c t i o n 1 6 a u t h o r i s e s t h e Highway A u t h o r i ­ tie s to fix th e b u ild in g l i n e o th e r than th a t provided in S e c tio n 8 i.e ., two h u n d r e d a n d t w e n t y f e e t from th e m id d le o f th e H ighw ay. T h i s c a n b e don e a f t e r proper n o tic e in v itin g o b jectio n s to the p r o p o s a l and t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f th e b u ild in g lin e s la ter d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y . T h i s a d d itio n i s a lso s u b je c t to a p p ea l to the government w hich s h a l l r e f e r the m a tter to a r b i t r a t i o n . S ectio n 17 p ro h ib its th e c o n s t r u c t i o n o r l a y i n g o u t any means o f a c c e s s t o o r from t h e H igh w ay, and to e r e c t Contd 4.

o r r e - e r e c t any b u ild in g e t c betw een th e b u ild in g l i n e s and th e highw ay i n r e s p e c t o f w h ich i t has been d eterm ined*

S U b -section (2 ) o f S e c t i o n 17 p r o v id e s th at s h o u ld any b u i l d i n g o r any p a r t t h e r e o f l i e w ith in the p r o h ib ite d a r ea , as d e fin e d in the l a s t p receding su b -sectio n , th e Highway A u t h o r i t y may, w h e n e v e r s u c h b u ild in g or p a rt has e it h e r e n t i r e l y or in greater p a r t b u r n t o r f a l l e n dow n, by n o t i c e , req u ire such b u i l d i n g o r p a r t when b e i n g r e b u i l t , to be s e t b a c k to the b u i l d i n g l i n e , and i f the p o r tio n o f la n d thus rendered vacant i s i n c l u d e d w i t h i n t h e b o u n d a r i e s o f t' th e h igh w ay i n r e l a t i o n to w hich such b u ild in g lin e h a s b e e n d e t e r m i n e d s u c h p o r t i o n s h a l l become p a r t o f th e highw ay*

Like o t h e r p r o v i s i o n s a lr e a d y n o t i c e d f o r th e c o m p e n s a tio n o f damage,

S e c tio n 17 s t a t e s t h a t t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y sh a ll pay com pensation to th e owner o f su c h p o r t i o n o f land o r o f th e b u ild in g w hich e x i s t e d t h e r e o n f o r a n y damage caused to hi m b y t h e s e t t i n g back o f the b u i l d i n g * S im ila rly S ectio n 10 p r o v i d e s for

c o m p e n sa tin g any p e r so n h a v in g any i n t e r e s t i n la n d f o r a n y i n j u r y o r da m age c a u s e d t o h i s i n t e r e s t by t h e i m p o s i t i o n ^ o f r e s t r i c t i o n s l a i d down by the p r o v is io n s o f S e c tio n 8 o r 9 . T h is : S e c t i o n i s reproduced b elow :-

" I f any p e r so n h a v in g any i n t e r e s t i n land proves th a t h i g i n t e r e s t i s i n j u r i o u s l y a f f e c t e d by th e im p osition ^ o f restrictio n s by o r u n d e r t h e p ro v isio n s o f S ectio n 8 or 9 , he s h a l l be e n t i t l e d to r e c o v e r from th e Highway A u th o r ity com pensation f a r any in ju r y or damage t o such in t e r e s t .

E x p la n a tio n : For the purpose o f t h i s S e c t i o n th e e x p r e s s i o n ’ i n t e r e s t i n land' s h a l l mean t h e i n t e r e s t v e s t e d in such

p e r s o n on t h e day t h e a f o r e s a i d r e s t r i c t i o n s came i n t o force.

(2)No c l a i m f o r c o m p e n s a t i o n u n d e r ffce l a s t p r e c e d i n g s u b - s e c t i o n for i n j u r y o r damage s h a l l be e n t e r t a i n e d u n le s s th e claim an t fu r n ish e s sa tisfa cto ry proof:*

(a)th at p rop osals f o r developm ent at the date o f th e claim fo r com pensation a re im m ed iately p racticab le o r w o u l d h a v e b e e n so if th is Ordinance had n o t been passed; and

(b)that th ere is demand f o r s u c h d evelop m en t.

( d) No c o m p e n s a t i o n s h a l l b e p a y a b l e f o r a n y i n j u r y o r damage i n so f a r as the land i s subject to a su b sta n tia lly sim ila r r e s tr ic tio n u n d e r some o t h e r e n a c t m e n t , o r w h e r e e o B p q p s a t i o n i n r e s p e c t o f some su b sta n tia lly sim ila r r e s tr ic tio n in f o r c e under t h i s o r any o t h e r enactm ent has a lr e a d y been p a id .

( e) S u b je c t to th e oth er p ro v isio n s o f th is sectio n , c o m p e n s a t i o n t o be aw arded s h a l l b e a sum b y w h i c h t h e m a r k e t v a l u e o f the i n t e r e s t in lan d i s reduced as a r esu lt o f r e str ic tio n s im posed under S e c t io n 8 or S e c tio n 9 .

S ectio n 18 a u t h o r i s e s t h e Highway A u t h o r i t y to a c q u i r e any l a n d b e tw e en t h e Highway and th e b u ild in g lin e i n accordance w ith the p ro v isio n s o f the Land A c q u i s i t i o n Hc t , 1894.

M o u l v i Mohammad B a s h i r , P e t t i t i o n e r who argued the ca se h im s e lf has c h a lle n g e d the p rovision o f clau se (b) o f S e c t i o n 8 ( 1) w h i c h p r o h i b i t s erectio n o f a n y b u i l d i n g u p o n l a n d w i t h i n two h u n d r e d an d tw enty f e e t f r o m t h e m i d d l e o f t h e h i g h w a y . He h a s

a lso c h a lle n g e d the con seq u en tial p rovision s o f S e c t i o n 8 ( 2 ) , 9 , 1 0 , 1 1 , 1 6 , W , 18 . H o w e v e r d u r i n g t h e argum ent he c o n c e d e d t h a t S e c t i o n 18 w hich p r o v id e s for a c q u isitio n is n o t repugnant to t h e H o l y Q u r a n dn d t h e S u n n a h o f t h e H o l y Prophet, sin ce the government has th e r i g h t in sh ariah to o , t o a c q u i r e l a n d f o r p u b l i c p ’j p g u s e s ' f o r the good o f t h e p u b l i c . However he s u b m it t e d t h a t t h e p r i c e o f t h e a c q u i r e ^ l a n d m u s t be p a i d before p o ssessio n .

The m a i n a r g u m e n t o f t h e p e t i t i o n e r on th e v i r e s o f S e c t io n s 8 , 9 and 16 i s that i t amounts to an i l l e g a l i n t e r f e r e n c e , n o t w arranted b y t h e H o l y Quran an d t h e S u n n a h o f t h e H o l y P ro p h et, w ith the sacrcG an otity o f property r ig h ts o f an i n d i v i d u a l . In s u p p o r t o f t h i s he r e l i e d u p o n Q. 2 : 188 a n d Q. 4 : 2 9 w h i c h a r e a s f o l l o w ;

2 ; 188 "And e a t n o t u p y o u V

p r o p e r t y amon g y o u r s e l v e s in v a n ity , nor see k by i t to gain the h e a r in g o f the judges t h a t y e may k n o w i n g l y d e v o u r a p o r tio n o f the p ro p erty o f o th e r w ro n g fu lly ."

4:29 " 0 y e who b e l i e v e !

squander n o t your w e a lth amon g y o u r s e l v e s in v a n ity , except i t be a tr a d e by m utual c o n s e n t , and k i l l n o t your selv es. Lo ! A l l a h i s ever M e r c i f u l unto y o u . ”

He s u b m i t t e d t h a t t h e s e v e r s e s n o t o n l y prohib itglp ersons but a ls o embody s i m i l a r restrictio n s o r p r o h ib it io n a g a in s t the S t a t e .

I n t j i i s c o n n e c t i o n he r e f e r r e d to T afseer Alm anar by A llam a R ash eed R aza, Islatni R iy a sa t ft

b y M a u l a n a Ameen A h s a n I s l a h i . He a l s o referred to the v e r s e :

,v "do j u s t i c e it is v e r y n e a r Jpietv

The l a n g u a g e o f t h e s e v e r s e s demonstrate.^ t h a t t h e y do n o t d e a l w i t h t h e rela tio n of citizen s and t h e state ex cep t to th e e x t e n t t h a t the property o f o th ers s h o u l d n o t be i n t e r f e r e d e x c e p t i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h l a w , w h ic h means t h a t t h e p o w e r c a n n o t be e x e r c i s e d m a l a f i d e o r i l l e g a l l y o r f o r p e r s o n a l a g g r a n d iz e m e n t e v e n by th e Ameer, S u lta n , C alip h , Pr im e M i n i s t e r o r P r e s i d e n t o r b y w h a t e v e r name h h e H e a d o f t h e State b e c a l l e d . To t h i s very e ffe c t is tyufrjc th e o p i n i o n r e c o r d e d by M a u l a n a M a d o o d i a s w e l l a s M a u l a n a A me en A h s a n I s l a h i .

The v e r s e s do n o t h o w e v e r , d e a l w it h la w m aking, w h ich i s n e c e s s a r y to s e c u r e the i n t e r e s t o f the general p u b lic o r a n y t h i n g do ne i n t h e p u b l i c in terest. T his p o in t w a s c o n s i d e r e d i n Mohammad A m e e n . V . I s l a m i c R e p u b l i c o f P ak istan PLD 1981 F3C 2 3 . I observed at

pages 65 -6 6 .

"(Ehe p r i n c i p l e o f Ghasb on w h ic h r e l i a n c e was p l a c e d by th e learn ed c o u n s e l f o r the p etitio n er i s not ap p lica b le to a c q u is it i o n o f property by th e S t a t e fo r p u b lic purpose as d i s t i n g u i s h e d fro m c o n f i s c a t i o n by the Imam f o r p e r s o n a l u s e . T his d i s t i n c t i o n has a lrea d y been p oin ted o u t on th e a u t h o r i t y o f Shah W a l i u l l a h f r o m F i q h Omar w i t h r e g a r d t o the e x p r o p r i a t i o n b y H a z r a t Omar o f l a n d ow n e d b y M u s l i m s f o r u s e a s g r a z i n g grou n d w i t h o u t paym ent o f any com p en sation " .

I t was a l s o h e ld t h a t though in s t r a it e n e d f i n a n c i a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s and d i r e n e c e s s i t y the govern m en t has power to co n fisca te the property

w ith o u t p ayin g com pensation , the l a n d s h o u l d be

acq u ired d a ferm en t o f S ail com pensation

w h ich sh o u ld be e q u a l to the market v a lu e o f th e l a n d ( v i d e p a g e 66) *

The P u n j a b H i g h w a y O r d i n a n c e p r o v i d e s in i t s S. 18 f o r a c q u i s i t i o n o n p a y m e n t o f com p en sation , fox' a lso p r o v i d e s f o r payment o f com pensation (S .1 0 ) i n c a s e s where a p erso n h a v in g any i n t e r e s t in lan d proves th a t h is in terest i£ in ju r io u sly a ffe c te d by t h e i m p o s i t i o n r f o f r e s t r i c t i o n by o r under the p ro v isio n s o f S ectio n 8 or 9 . P r o h i b i t i n g th e e r e c t i o n o f any b u ild in g betw een th e b u i l d i n g t h e Highway by the owners o f any i n t e r e s t i n l a n d would © e r ta in -ly a m o u n t to e n r o a c h m e n t upon t h e i r in ter e sts On a c c o u n t o f the r e s t r i c t i o n s i m p o s e d u p on th e e i g h t s o f th e owners to a v a i l o f the land s fo r b u i l d i n g p u r p o s e s * ^om s damages

to th e owners . Both t h e s e p r o v isio n s are very s a l u t a r y and a r e a l s o in p u b lic in terest. In th e se c ir c u m s t a n c e s the p e t i t i o n e r ' s o b j e c t i o n w ould have been u n excep tion ab le if no p r o v i s i o n h a d b e e n made f o r c o m p e n s a t i o n f ^ h i s p a r t i a l d a m a g e . B u t we f i n d th a t S ectio n 10 t a k e £ steps to remove t h i s o b j e c t i o n and r e l i e v e th e owners o f the i n j u r i e s w h ich m ight affect t h e i r i n t e r e s t by the im p o s itio n o f th e s e r estrictio n s.

The p e t i t i o n e r c o n c e d e d t h a t S e c t i o n 1 0 ( 1) does p rovide s a t i s f a c t o r y r e l i e f b u t he s u b m i t t e d th a t the p roviso to s u b - s e c t i o n 2 w hich d e f i n e s in te r e st in l a n d t a k e s away b y th e o t h e r hand th e r elief g iv e n b y o n e hand by t h e main s u b - S e c t i o n .

He r e f e r r e d t o the f i x a t i o n o f tim e lim it that for

the p u r p o s e o f a s s e s s i n g t h e damage t h e i n t e r e s t s h o u ld have v e s t e d i n th e owner t h e r e o f on the day th e r e s t r i c t i o n s came i n t o force .

We h a v e n o t b e e n a b l e to ap p reciate

t h i s a r g u m e n t . The e x p r e s s i o n i n t e r e s t in land c o u ld not have b een l e f t u n d efin ed . The d e f i n i t i o n w ould n e c e s s i t a t e th e f i x a t i o n o f p o i n t o f tim e when t h e l o s s was s u f f e r e d . N a t u r a l l y t h e p o i n t o f tim e w i l l be t h e d a y , when th e restrictio n came i n t o f o r c e . T h is p r o v is io n i s thus very rea so n a b le.

The f o r m u l a o f a s s e s m e n t o f

com pensation given i n s u b - S e c t i o n 4 o f S e c t i o n 10 is a lso ju st. I t p r o v id e s t h a t th e com pensation s h a l l b e a sum b y w h i c h t h e m a r k e t v a l u e of the i n t e r e s t in the land i s reduced as a r e s u lt o f r e s t r i c t i o n ^ im p osed.

We a r e n o t t h e r e f o r e , ab le to su b scrib e to th e argument t h a t th e p r o v is o d oes n o t advance th e o b j e c t o f th e m ain s u b - S e c t i o n to w h ic h i t is attach ed .

I t was a l s o argued t h a t the com pensation

sh ou ld be p a i d b e f o r e t a k i n g p o s s e s s i o n o f any l a n d .

T his o b j e c t i o n o b v io u s ly cannot r e l a t ^ t o the p r o v i s i o n o f S e c t i o n 10 s i n c e i n t h a f b a s e no property i s r e q u ir e d to be t a k e n . M oreover th e c o m p e n sa tio n does n o t a u t o m a t ic a lly f o l l o w the i m p o s i t i o n o f r e s t r i c t i o n s b u t c a n be p a i d o n l y o n proof o f in ju ries to the in terest in land s u ffe r e d or lik e ly t o be s u f f e r e d by the p e r so n h a v in g such in t e r e s t .

The o b j e c t i o n - i n r e g a r d t o payment o f is not co m p en sa tio n p r io r to p o s s e s s i o n w arranted f o r th d

fo r d e liv e r y o f p o sse ssio n a ft e r assessm ent o f f a ir c o m p e n s a t i o n , w h i c h means t h a t payment r e m a in s o n ly a form al a f f a i r ^ . But so m etim es d e l a y c a u s e d in the p r o c e s s o f a s s e s s m e n t may c a u s e much g r e a t e r harm t o the p u b lic in terest. In su ch cases d e l i v e r y o f p o s s e s s i o n must be given p r e c e d e n c e o v e r a s s e s s m e n t o f payment o f com pensation .

There a r e in stan ces du rin g the p erio d

o f t h e C a l i p h s whe n t h e h o u s e s and p r o p e r t i e s o f th e o t h e r s had to be e x p r o p r i a t e d f o r w i d e n i n g t h e p r e m i s e s o f t h e mosque and c o m p e n s a t i o n was p aid la ter.

These i n s t a n c e s a re given i n

FID -19 8 1 FSC Mohammad Ameen V . Islam ic R epublic o f P a k is t a n page 25 ( p a g e s 5 8 ) . A h oth er i n s t a n c e o f co n fisca tio n is o f land o f N ajran t r i b e after t h e i r e x p u l s i o n f r o m Yamen t o Ir%q u n d e r o r d e r o f H a z r a t Omar. I n t h i s c a s e th e y w ere com pensated fo r the l a n d s o c o n f i s c a t e d by a l l o t m e n t o f l a n d in Iraq.

We a s k e d t h e p e t i t i o n e r w h e t h e r he had gone th r o u g h t h e w hole o r d in a n c e and c o u l d p o i n t o u t a n y o t h e r p r o v i s i o n s w h i c h may be repugnant to th e H o ly uuran and th e S u nn ah o f t h e H o l y P r o p h e t b u t he s t a t e d t h a t h e h a d n o t g o n e th ro u g h th e r e s t o f th e O rdinance^rora t h i s p oin t of view ,W e h a v e h o w e v e r , gone th r o u g h i t reproduced i t s summary i n t h i s J u d g m e n t -w it h t h i s v i e w .

m e r e ly r e g u l a t o r y a b o u t w h ich th e power o f the ^ ta te is not q u estion ab le under s h a r ia h .

We do n o t f i n d a n y p o r t i o n o f l a w t o be repugnant to t h e H o ly Quran and t h e Sunnah and d is m is s th e p etitio n .

CHIEF JUSTICE

a jO A S * • <

JUDGE - I

M

6. I , JUDGE IV

y*4- fw