Pakistan Case Law← Search
2001 C.L.R. 1413

MUHAMMAD RAMZAN vs FEDERATION OF ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN

Citation2001 C.L.R. 1413
CourtLahore High Court
Case No.W.P. No. 7156 of 2001
Date2001-05-04
Judge(s)Ch. Ijaz Ahmad
ResultN/A

ORDER

CH. IJAZ AHMAD, J.--- Brief facts out of which the present writ petition arises are that petitioner's brother namely Muhammad Sultan secured a loan from respondent No. 3 for doing some business.

The loan was sanctioned by respondent No. 3 after securing guarantee from father of the petitioner namely Haji Talib Hussain in favor of original loanee. The agreement was also executed between the brother of the petitioner and respondent No. 3. According to the terms and conditions of the agreement brother of the petitioner had to repay the loan in easy instalments. Petitioner's brother could not repay the loan to the respondent No. 3 in terms of the agreement. Respondent No. 4 on 19.4.2001 visited the house of the petitioner and arrested father of the petitioner. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that action of the respondents is in violation of the provisions of West Pakistan Land Revenue Act, 1967 as the respondents failed to issue any notice to the original loanee and detenu as is envisaged by Section 81 (notice of demand) and subsequently notice u/S. 82(1) of the Land Revenue Act Therefore, detention of the detenu is without lawful authority inter a/ia on the grounds that when anything ins to be done in a particular manner it must be done in that way and not otherwise. He further submits that respondents are bound to act in accordance with law as is envisaged by Article 4 of, the Constitution. Therefore, action of the respondents is based on malice by law as well as malice in facts.

2. Learned counsel for the respondents submits that detenu stood guarantor of the original loanee who secured the loan from the respondents in the year 1996 as is evident from pare 1 of the writ petition. The detenu is also father of the original loanee. He further submits that respondents initiated recovery proceedings against the detenu under West Pakistan Land Revenue Act, 1967 after completing all the legal formalities. He further submits that respondents are competent to recovery entire amount as arrear of land revenue by virtue of Sections 20 and 22 of Small Business Finance Act, 1972. He further submits that final notice of arrest has been issued by the competent authorities. He further submits that detenu/petitioner has alternative remedy, under the law.

Therefore, writ petition/habeas corpus petition is liable to be dismissed.

3. I have heard the contentions of the learned counsel for the parties and perused the record myself. I would like to decide the preliminary objection first. Learned counsel for the respondents raised a preliminary objection, that detenu has alternative remedy before the Revenue Officer u/S. 82(8) but the detenu/petitioner failed to avail the same. Therefore, habeas corpus petition is not maintainable. Preliminary objection raised by the learned counsel for the respondents has a force and the habeas corpus petition/writ petition is not the proper remedy as per principle laid down by this Court in Akbari Begum's case (NLR 1995 Crl.Law Judgment 51). It is also settled principle of law that there is a proper remedy under the law available to the petitioner/detenu them habeas corpus petition/writ petition is not maintainable. In arriving to this conclusion I am fortified by the judgment of the Division Bench of Karachi High Court in lmdad Hussain's case (PLD 1974 Karachi 485), Ghulam Muhammad's case (PLD 1975 Karachi 118) and Bari Ahmad's case (1994 CLC 273) and Ijaz Hussain's case (1994 CLC 275). When the final warrant of arrest has been issued under the provisions of the Land Revenue Act then this Court has no jurisdiction to go beyond that to find out whether the warrant of arrest issued after fulfilling the legal requirements under the Land Revenue Act by issuing a notice or not as the same require inquiry. The scope of power u/S. 491, Cr.P.C. Or under Article 199 is highlighted in reported judgment Ch. Noor Hussain's case (NLR 1983 Cr1. 215). The aforesaid proposition of law is also supported by the following judgments:- NLR 1982 Cr.L.J. 422 (Arshad Hussain's case). PLD 1997 S.C. 852 (Nisar Ahmad's case).

4. When the warrant of arrest is issued In accordance with provisions of the Land Revenue Act even in violation of the manner prescribed under the Land Revenue Act. The same cannot be declared illegal through collateral proceedings as is held by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Sabir Shah's case (1994 S.C. 738). Therefore, same is in accordance with law unless and until the same is set aside by any competent Court/forum and the habeas corpus petition/writ petition is not maintainable as is held by this Court in Javaid lqbaLs case (NLR 1985 U.C. 154). It is the discretion of the authority under the Land Revenue Act to adopt any mode of execution as per principle laid down by the Karachi High Court in Sayed Hasan Mahmud's case (PLD 1980 Karachi 37). It is pertinent to mention here that original loanee secured a loan from the respondents after obtaining guarantee from the detenu who is real father of the original loanee. This fact brings the case in the area that petitioner did not approach this Court with clean hands, meaning thereby the facts of this case indicates that the present petition was not bona fide petition. Therefore, I find that this petition has been filed only to set up a defence to avoid from discharging their liabilities of the aforesaid amount due against the detenu in order to impede course of recovery and hamper due process of law with ma/a fide. It is settled principle of law that bona fides of the petition have to be carefully examined so that no one be permitted to abuse the process of law. In arriving to this conclusion I am fortified by the following case.

5: 1972 SCMR 398 (Shaukat Ali's case) coupled with the fact it is conditioned precedent to set at liberty the detenu if the detention is illegal or improperly detained. revisions by the competent authorities. Therefore, it is advisable to consult the official sources or legal professionals for the most up-to-date and accurate information.

For educational and research use only — not legal advice. Verify against the official report before relying on it. See our Disclaimer.
Disclaimer·Privacy·Terms·Search