SC refers housing society amenity land encroachment matter to NAB

KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Saturday referred the matter of encroachment on the amenity land of a 48-acre housing society in Gulshan-e-Maymar to the National Accountability Bureau for further action.

The court made the decision in light of the inquiry report of the Federal Investigation Agency that recommended action against officials of the housing society.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar was hearing a petition application seeking action against the illegal encroachment on a public park in Al-Habib Cooperative Housing Society in KDA Scheme 33.

The court was informed by affected residents from the society that a former secretary of the society, Athar Alam, and his relative had allegedly encroached upon the park land, converted it into residential plots and sold them. They submitted that their plots were allotted to other persons and they were given alternate plots carved out of the amenity land.

Over a dozen people, including women, turned up and informed the bench that Alam, along with other office-bearers of the society, had encroached upon the park, illegally converted it into residential plots in 2011 and sold them to members of the public. They further contended that Alam and others had also built warehouses on the amenity plot.

The administrator of the society submitted that the amenity plot was encroached upon and unlawfully converted into residential plots. The court at a previous hearing had ordered an inquiry into the allegations. On Saturday, the FIA also submitted a report with regard to encroachment on the housing society’s land and recommended action against the former officials of the housing society and others.

After perusing the FIA report, the court referred the inquiry report to NAB and directed it to proceed with the matter in accordance with the law.