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2008 C.L.R. 114

Miran Shafique vs Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmad and 2 others

Citation2008 C.L.R. 114
CourtLahore High Court
Case No.Writ Petition No. 10603. of 2006
Date2006-10-11
Judge(s)Muhammad Akhtar Shabbir
ResultPetition dismissed

ORDER

MUHAMMAD AKHTAR SHABBIR, J. --- This order will dispose of Writ Petitions Nos. 10603/2006, 10604/2006 and 10605/2006 as common question of law and facts is involved in all the three writ petitions.

2. Facts giving rise to the instant:writ petitions are to 'the effect that the present petitioner Imran Shafique plaintiff/petitioner herein had instituted three civil suits against Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmad, Haji Manzoor Ahmad and Haji Maqsood Ahmad defendant/respondent No. 1. The suits were contested by defendants/respondents who filed their written statement denying the averments of the plaint with the prayer of dismissal of- the suits. From the factual controversy appearing on the pleadings -of the parties, the learned Trial Court on 30.06.2003 framed. The various issues. The plaintiff was directed to produce his evidence During the trial of the suits the plaintiff/petitioner has filed separate applications in three suits under Order 13 Rules 1 & 2, C.P.C. For production of the registered envelope sent t., the respondents/defendants, in the Court.. The applications of the petitioner were contested by every defendant and the learned Trial Court after hearing the arguments of the parties dismissed he same vide order dated 16.05 2006 Feeling aggrieved the plaintiff/petitioner prefered a revision petition which came up for hearing before the learned Additional District Judge. Sialkot, who vide impugned judgment and decree dated 20.09.2006 dismissed the revision petitions of the plaintiff/petitioner. .

3. The. Learned counsel for the petitioner vehemently questioned the validity of the impugned orders contending that the registered envelop was a 'public' document. At the time of filing of the suit is was not in possession of the petitioner, therefore, he has applied to. The Court for production of he same in evidence.

4. . I have heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and perused the 'record. .5. The civil suits have been filed by the petitioner/plaintiff on 26.03.2003; written statements were filed by the defendants on 30.06.2003; issues were framed by the Court on the same date and, the plaintiff was directed to produce his evidence. The statement of (PW.1) Shehzad Hussain, Branch Postman has been recorded on 25.05.2005. The plaintiff/petitioner has taken very long time for production of his evidence after the settlement of issues. The applications for production of the registered envelop have been filed by the plaintiff/petitioner on . 16.05.2006 wherein he has stated that on the day of filing of the suits the registered envelop has not been received to him. He in paragraph No. 3 of the applications stated that inadvertently he has not entered/mentioned this document in his list of reliance. This application too has been filed by the petitioner with the delay of more than two years after institution of the suits, even after settlement of issues.

6.. Order 13, Rule 2, C.P.C. Reads as under.- "No documentary evidence in the possession or power of any party which should have been but has not been produced in accordance with the requirements or Rule 1 shall be recorded at any subsequent stage of the proceedings unless good cause is shown to the satisfaction of the Court for the non-production thereof:. And the Court receiving' any such evidence shall record the reasons for doing." .

Rule 1 of Order 13 further envisages that:--- "The parties or their pleaders shall produce, at the first hearing of the suit, all the documentary evidence - of every description in their possessIon or power. On which they intend to rely, and which has not already been filed in the Court, and all .Documents which the Court has ordered to be produced."

And if not produced at least this document as per the contention. Of the learned counsel for the petitioner. Was not in the possession of the petitioner at the time of institution of the suit but he should have placed reliance of the document or at the receipt of acknowledgment due in his list of reliance. The sub-rule (2) has empowered the Court to receive the same provided sufficient reasons for non-production are shown by the party. The learned trial Judge has in an elaborate Order dated .16.05.2006 had come to the conclusion that good cause has not been shown to his satisfaction for non-production of the document and the order has been upheld by the revisional Court as well and the High Court is always reluctant to interfere with the impugned order passed by the Courts below in its Constitutional jurisdiction. The only arguments of the learned counsel for the petitioner that the petitioner has filed the application for permission to produce the document on the ground that at the time of institution of the suits, this envelope has not been received back by him: But he question is when he received back this envelop undelivered, .Why immediately the application was not filed. No satisfactory explanation was given by the petitioner for the same. The Trial Court has not acted arbitrarily in the circumstances and no principle of law having been violated by the Trial Court. The observation of he Trial Court has been upheld by the revisional Court and the High Court will also not interfere in the same. Reference in this context can be made to the cases of Muhammad Umar Mirza v. Waris lqbal and others (1990 SCM R 964), and Rab Nawaz and another v. Muhammad Amir and another (1999. SCMR 951).

7. There is concurrent findings of facts against the petitioner and the High Court in exercise of its writ jurisdiction would not interfere in the concurrent findings of the Courts below as laid down in the cases of Benediet Souza v. Karachi Building Control Authority and 3 others (1989 SCM R 918), Federation of Pakistan and 2 others v.. Major (Retd.) Muhammad Sabir Khan (PLD 1991 SC .476)" and Muhammad Younas Khan v. Government of NWFP through Secretary and others (1993 SCM R 618).

Learned counsel for the petitioner has not been able to point out illlegality or jurisdictional defect in the impugned orders and miserably failed to persuade the Court to interfere with the, same.

8, , For the foregoing reasons, these writ petitions being devoid of force are dismissed in limine.

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