OGDCL housing society blacklists journalist for blackmail

ISLAMABAD: The drop scene of irregular allotment of plots in Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) housing society occurred on Wednesday, when management of the housing society decided to impose a lifetime ban on allotment of plots to Khushnood Ali Khan, Chief Editor Urdu daily Jinnah.

According to sources, Khan was allotted three plots measuring 50×90 feet in 2004. Plot No 1612-A and 1614-A were allotted in Khan’s name and plot No 1615-A in name of his wife. They said plots were allotted to Khan but he did not pay any amount to the society. They said in accordance with the society rules and regulation various demand notices were served upon Khan to pay his complete outstanding liabilities toward the society, but he started a media campaign against OGDCL housing society.

The sources said on this OGDCL housing society, which is registered with the registrar of co-operative societies having a corporate status, sued Khan. The suit stated that the plaintiff society was formed to provide roof and shelter to its members against the payment of installments towards the cost of land and the development work. The plaintiff society is located near Chattar Islamabad. It has 2,418 members and possesses 1600 kanals of land having plots of three different sizes to meet the requirement of its members.

An official said Khan also took plots in the name of his relatives and sold these on down payment of Rs 300,000 each. He said before launching a media campaign Khan came to office of OGDCL housing society located in Blue Area and stated that he had many plots in different societies in Islamabad and no housing society owner demanded a single penny regarding the plots from him. “Khan threatened that if the society demanded any payment from him he would start a media campaign against the society,” the official claimed.

Later, the OGDCL employee co-operative housing society filed a suit in the court of civil judge for grant of decree of permanent injunction against Khan (Defendant) retraining/desisting him not to publish advertisement or any other defamatory material in his Urdu publications “Jinnah” and “Dophir”. On July 14, 2011 the concerned court issued stay order over the media campaign against OGDCL housing society in Daily Jinnah and summoned its Chief Editor Khushnood Ali Khan on July 27.

On July 19 OGDCL Housing Society President Irfan Babar (Petitioner) filed an application under section 39 rules 2 and 3 of CrPC for initiation of contempt proceedings against Khan, as he had not stopped his media campaign against the OGDCL society. The court issued contempt of court notice to Khan. Khan has not stopped his media campaign despite the order of court.