Scrap modified list of vested property

Eminent citizens and rights activists in a statement yesterday demanded that the government scraps a modified list of vested properties, prepared in violation of a Supreme Court verdict.
The SC's Appellate Division verdict of March 23, 1974 nullified the Enemy Property Act, passed by the Pakistan government in 1965 under the pretext of the war with India.
Under the act, the property of minorities was declared “enemy property” and Hindus declared “enemy” so that their properties could be seized.
The citizens and activists also urged the government to repeal the rules of the “Vested Property Return Act-2001, based on which the list was prepared, which are restricting the return of properties to the original owners and to quickly implement the law.
Under the banner, “Vested Property Return Act Implementation National Citizen Combination Cell”, they said to have placed the demands on behalf of the country's people.
Kamal Lohani, advocates Sultana Kamal, Rana Dasgupta, Subrata Chowdhury, Tobarak Hossain, Khushi Kabir, Barrister Sara Hossain and Dr Abul Barakat, among others, signed the statement.