PAC directs recovery of land worth Rs100 b from land grabbers in Karachi

Islamabad September 14 (Online): Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed recovery of the government land worth over Rs100 billion from land grabbers in Karachi. The meeting also directed the Ministry of Housing and Works secretary to take all possible measures to ensure recovery of the land illegally occupied by land grabbers.

The meeting was held in the chair of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq at the Parliament House on Monday. PML-N leader Khawaja Asif and Aamir Dogar were also present in the committee meeting. The meeting also decided to approach the Supreme Court for its earlier start of hearing into FBR’s pending cases worth over Rs46 billion.

The meeting observed that corruption and corrupt practices are committed by administrators and elites, but criticism and trolling in the media are faced by politicians. It also observed that NAB and other related watch-dogs summon daughters and wives of politicians in their offices but never of such officers and bureaucrats.

The committee meeting reviewed objections raised by the audit report of the Ministry of Housing and Works. The meeting was told that the land grabbers have occupied 221 shops and nine petrol pumps in Karachi and their recovery is a tough task, alleging that due to the involvement of politicians. The Secretary also informed the meeting that the case against illegal occupation is in the court.

He further informed the meeting that then Housing Minister Syed Safwanullah had transferred over 4,000 government houses to the people which is an illegal act, adding that all that happened during Pervez Musharraf regime. He said over Rs100 billion worth government property is currently occupied by land grabbers in Karachi.

The meeting was further informed that the government has recovered 2,500 houses from grabbers in the federal capital and the operation against illegal occupations was launched on the direction of the Supreme Court. He said 87 houses are still under the use of land encroachers.

The meeting was told that as many as 4000 houses were transferred to people on political basis in Karachi during Musharraf regime.

The committee directed NAB to initiate inquiry into the houses transferred on political basis in Karachi. The committee also directed deduction of money from the salaries of those employees who don’t pay rent of their shops and flats in Karachi.