MUHAMMAD AFZAL ZULLAH, J.--Leave to appeal has been sought from judgment dated 19-12-1978 of the Lahore High Court; whereby the Court refused to restore plaintiff (pre-emptor's) appeal filed in a matter of pre-emption.
2. Khadim Hussain (petitioner) a minor plaintiff (pre-emptor) having succeeded in a pre-emption suit challenged in appeal the price to be paid for the land. It was dismissed by the District Court. He then filed an R . S. A. In the High Court for the same purpose, namely, the reduction of the pre- emption money. It was admitted to regular hearing. But subsequently on the death of Nemat Ali who had acted as next friend of the minor petitioner, the appeal was dismissed in default. An application (Civil Miscellaneous No. 6460-C of 1976) made for the restoration of the appeal having been dismissed by a learned Single Judge, leave to appeal has now been sought.
3. Learned counsel, after some arguments, stated that the petitioner is willing to pay the original pre-emption amount fixed by the trial Court, namely, Rs. 14,500 and is no more raising any contest in so far as that real subject-matter is concerned.
4. If that is so, an application should be made before the High Court seeking permission and time to deposit the pre-emption money.
5. Learned counsel stated that the time spent in this Court might be treated as a bar for making such an application.
6. The petition for leave to appeal was filed bona fide and has been pursued with diligence, therefore, application in that behalf can also be made before the High Court. As to the competency of the High Court on disposal of appeal in a pre-emption matter to grant reasonable time to the pre-emptor to make the deposit of the pre-emption money, it has been held in a number of judgments of this Court that the High Court has such power. This view has been reiterated in a recent judgment of this Court in Bhai Khan v. Allah Bakhsh Civil Appeal No. 864 of 1984, dismissed on 5-3-1986.
7. With these observations we do not consider it a fit case for grant of leave to appeal which is accordingly declined.