Liaqat Chattha tied with PTI, Gen Faiz and facing 11 corruption inquiries

ISLAMABAD: Liaquat Ali Chattha, the commissioner of Rawalpindi who has shot to global fame after alleging the elections were rigged under his watch, enjoyed excellent relations with PTI leaders as well as with Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed. Also, 11 corruption inquiries are pending against him, according to sources privy to his affairs.

Incidentally, Chattha played a key role in acquisition of land for Imran Khan’s sister, Uzma Khan, by getting it converted from consolidation into settlement, which is now being probed by the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Punjab. Uzma and her husband, co-accused in this case, are on bail these days. Chattha himself is facing these probes of ACE.

It has also been learnt that Chattha was also very close to former spy chief, Faiz Hameed. A source privy to their relations said he was a witness to at least three occasions on which special directives were issued to facilitate him in his personal matters when Faiz was in the ISI. Likewise, Chattha’s colleagues in bureaucracy also testify this, recalling different instances when favors were extended to him.

Chattha’s closeness with Usman Buzdar is apparent from the fact that he appointed him commissioner of his division, Dera Ghazi Khan, where he served till 2022 when PTI was voted out through a no-confidence motion. It was during that time he helped Uzma Khan buy land in Layyah. A meeting was held in CM Buzdar’s office, according to an insider, wherein the-then commissioner DG Khan, Chattha, suggested conversion of consolidated land into settlement without which it couldn’t have been acquired.

An FIR was registered against Uzma and her spouse at Dera Ghazi Khan police station in which Uzma was accused of fraudulently acquiring 5,261 kanals of land at undervalued price. According to the FIR, the land estimated to be worth Rs6 billion was allegedly purchased for a mere Rs13 crore through forgery. Chattha is also named in this inquiry.

Another 10 inquiries are in addition to this one in which he has been issued call-up notices for as many times and he didn’t appear even once. Inquiries he face are related to allegations of corruption and malpractices in development and design committee approval, misuse of authority in gaining approval of Lahore Entertainment City, illegal possession on private persons landowners and non-payment to private people. In addition, there are also inquiries related to unauthorised construction of gymkhana clubs in Gujrat, Sargodha, Rawalpindi and DG Khan and misappropriation of funds.

Sources close to Lt-Gen (retd) Faiz Hameed denied anything to do with Saturday’s press conference.