DHA says law followed in all allotments; terms govt allegation a political statement
KARACHI: The Sindh government claims that the Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Karachi, had encroached 6,234.20 acres of precious provincial government land, which was reclaimed from the sea.
On the other hand, the Karachi DHA management termed the claim of the Sindh government a political statement and said that all the land in possession of the authority was genuinely and legally allotted.
According to the Sindh government’s official record available with The News, the DHA Karachi had a total of 9,850 acres of land in possession in the area while nearly 60 percent (6,234 acres) was in possession of the DHA illegally. The land was reclaimed from the sea which according to law and the Constitution is the provincial government land.
In official correspondence of the Sindh government, articles 152, 172, 173 and 260 of the Constitution of Pakistan and Section 37(1) and 64 of Sindh Land Revenue Code 1879 and Section 51 of the Sindh Land Revenue Act 1967 were quoted and according to these articles, the reclaimed land from the sea is the property of Sindh.
In this regard, Muhammad Aslam Khoso, Additional Commissioner, Karachi, on March 4, 2016 through an official letter (copy available) informed the Sindh chief minister, senior member Board of Revenue, secretary Land Utilisation and other officers concerned and of Clifton Cantonment Board about the alleged illegal possession of the said 6234.20 acres of land and suggested some steps in this regard to consult Sindh High Court to get restraining order against DHA, issuance of directions to sub-registrars to stop illegal transactions on Sindh government land under alleged unauthorised possession of DHA and advice sent to Clifton Cantonment Board not to approve or entertain any building plan of the DHA regarding said 6234.20 acres od Sindh government land.
Mr Khoso in his official correspondence further explained that 3520.77 acres of land of phase 1 to phase VII DHA Karachi leased out without having ownership and any title documents by Military Estate Office, 736.74 acres illegally leased by Port Qasim Authority (PQA) for phase VI extension, 736.74 acres illegally leased out by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) for DHA phase VIII while 282 acres were legally leased to DHA by Sindh government’s Board of Revenue but major portion of payment not made to the Sindh government.
In this correspondence, Mr Khoso quoting the Deputy Commissioner South Karachi informed higher authorities that Sub-Registrar Clifton Karachi without getting valid title documents from the Revenue Authorities is going to register the lease deeds of land purely belonging to Sindh government merely on the basis of NOCs or fabricated and so-called title documents issued by DHA which caused loss in trillions of rupees to Sindh government exchequer; declaring the act of sub-registrar as misconduct and recommended an immediate action.
Earlier Secretary Land Utilisation Sindh government on November 20, 2015 quoting Supreme Court suo moto case No 12/2015 (regarding illegal occupation of state land by different organisations) through an official letter asked DHA administrator to furnish authenticated title, ownership of said land along with the satellite imaginary map with clarification and record of Military Estate Office (MEO) with the justification of allotment.
Secretary DHA Karachi Brigadier (R) Naeem Azhar Lone told this reporter that all the claims of Sindh government’s officers were just political statements and a letter of clarification of raised objections of Sindh government had been submitted in the Supreme Court and also had been sent to the Sindh government.
Despite request of this reporter, Brigadier (R) lone refused to provide the copy of that correspondence. “All the land in possession with DHA allotted according to law and now objections raised by provincial government has no legal grounds as it is nothing but just political statements” added Brigadier (R) lone.
He refused to comment further on the issue. Spokesmen for Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Shafiq Faridi said that the land in question was leased out to DHA after the approval of federal government for 99 years.
Spokesman for Port Qasim Authority (PQA) said that the land leased out to DHA was the property of Authority and Sindh government had no concern about it. PQA had full record of the said land and Authority received the payment of the lnad through an agreement between Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Communication.
