Sindh govt, NAB have retrieved forestland worth Rs3.6tr, meeting told

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Nazir Ahmed on Wednesday discussed ways of collaboration between the provincial government and NAB to eliminate corruption.

Officials said the meeting was held at the CM House and attended by Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Senior Member Board of Revenue Baqaullah Unar, Forest and Wildlife Secretary Badar Jameel and Chief Conservator Riaz Wagan.

The NAB chairman was assisted by NAB Karachi Director General (DG) Javed Akbar Riaz, Sukkur DG Fayaz Qureshi, Operations DG Tariq Butt and others. The NAB chief apprised the CM about significant developments in ongoing inquiries and investigations related to the province. The CM and NAB chairman reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to eradicating corruption with greater harmony and concerted efforts.

Riaz presented a comprehensive briefing to the CM highlighting the collaborative efforts undertaken by NAB, the forest department and Sindh Board of Revenue, which resulted in the cancellation of all the agro-forestry leases issued by the forest department, mutation of 98 per cent of reserved forestland, removal of a majority of the encroachments, cancellation of significant number of unauthorised and illegal allotments, and demarcation of more than 75 per cent of forestland by the Survey of Pakistan.

Most importantly, a substantial area of forestland spanning over 1.8 million acres worth Rs3.6 trillion had been successfully restored/retrieved and mutated to its rightful ownership. The CM and NAB chairman agreed to resolve the remaining few minor issues related to the forestland within the next three months.

They also appreciated the service of the DGs of NAB Sukkur and Karachi, forest secretary, chief conservator and their team members in the retrieval of valuable state land. The two also agreed to nominate deserving officers from NAB and the Sindh government for civil awards in acknowledgement of their outstanding services to the state.

Concluding the meeting, the NAB chairman presented the CM with copies of the updated and corrected revenue records of the forestland, recently compiled and rectified following the successful retrieval of the land through joint efforts of NAB and relevant departments of the government of Sindh.