ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court on Tuesday again rejected the offer of BahriaTown to pay Rs 358 billion for the legalization of its housing society inKarachi and to avoid legal proceedings for illegally acquired land.A three-judge special bench headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed washearing a case pertaining to the implementation on a May 4, 2014 SC verdictagainst Bahria Town.The bench while terming the housing society’s settlement offer toregularize the land unsatisfactory, directed Bahria Town to reconsider itsoffer.The apex cour, in its May 4 judgement, had declared that the grant of landto the Malir Development Authority (MDA) and its subsequent swap with landowned by Bahria Town was illegal and void. It had also directed theNational Accountability Bureau (NAB) to continue its probe into thebusiness practices employed by the developer.During the course of proceedings, Barrister Ali Zafar, counsel for BahriaTown, apprised the bench that his client was ready to pay Rs 315 billion inreturn for the legalization of all 16,896 acres of land in question. Theycould not pay more than Rs 350 billion in total, he added.Justice Saeed observed that Rs 315 billion was the price Bahria Town shouldpay for just 7,068 acres of land while it was the matter of 16,896 acres.Moreover, Rs 250 billion fine imposed on the society was a separate matter,he added.To which, the counsel made the final offer of Rs 358 billion.Justice Saeed, however, dismissed the offer, observing,”We are not sellingtomatoes here. Go back and reconsider your proposal.”The court observed that it would hear the stance of federal and Sindhgovernments as well as that of NAB on the matter before ruling on it onnext date of hearing.It also directed the Deputy Commissioner Malir to regain control of allgovernment land within two weeks and submit a compliance report, warninghim to be ready for an inquiry by NAB if he failed to do so.The court also summoned owner of Prism, an authorized dealer of BahriaTown, on next date of hearing to clarify his position regradingallegations that it was selling the land in Karachi which did not comeunder the demarcation of society.It may be added that on previous hearing, the Supreme Court had alsodismissed the offer of Bahria Town to deposit Rs 250 billion in the apexcourt’s dam fund to avoid legal proceedings. Its counsel had first offeredRs 200 billion to waive off charges against the real estate developer forits projects in Karachi, Islamabad and Murree.
He then raised the offer to Rs 250 billion, when Justice Saeed observedthat three separate verdicts had been passed against Bahria Town, so itshould pay reasonable amount of fine separately for for each case.