AJMAL MIAN, C. J.--This petition is directed against the recovery proceedings of the alleged dues as arrears of land revenue initiated by respondent No. 3 at the behest of respondent No. 2. The petitioner was the owner of a cotton ginning factory which was nationalized and thereafter was denationalized. Upon denationalization, the respondent No. 2 had come out with a claim of Rs.
55,105.70. The above claim was resisted by the petitioner. After that the above proceedings were initiated for recovering the alleged dues as the amount of arrears of land revenue. It is a well- settled principle of law by now that the due amount means an amount determined by a competent forum. In the instant case, the respondents have not filed any document to indicate that the above due amount was factually determined by the Federal Government to whom the dispute was referred to by the petitioner in terms of the Denationalization Cotton Ginning Control & Development (Repeal) Ordinance, 1977.
2. We would, therefore, allow the above petition and declare the impugned proceedings as being without lawful authority and of no legal effect. However, it will be open to the respondents to initiate appropriate legal proceeding after the amount is determined by respondent No. 1 after hearing the petitioner. The petition stands disposed of with no order as to costs.
H.B.T./A-589/K