NAB opens probe into ‘illegal transfer’ of billions of rupees worth of state land in Karachi

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has initiated an investigation into the illegal transfer of state land worth billions of rupees in Karachi to powerful mafia. The bureau has directed the Secretary of the Land Utilisation of the Board of Revenue, Sindh, to submit the record of the said trans action. As per official record, thousands of acres of state and private land, mainly in West, East, Korangi, Malir and Keamari districts of Karachi, had been illegally transferred by tampering with official record. The government machinery facil itated the encroachment of the said lands. On the one hand, the government sustained losses of billions of rupees by losing thousands of acres of precious state land, and on the other citizens lost their properties of the bil lions of rupees. Earlier, in December 2023, then caretaker govern ment of Sindh had tasked the Chief Minister’s Inspec tion, Enquiries, and Imple mentation Team (CMIEIT) to inquire the issue, fix the responsibility of said mega fraud and recommend the legal course of action. CMIEIT detected fraud of billions of rupees by encroachment of 5,500 acres of state land in Deh Manghopir, district West, Karachi and recommended legal action, but no action has been taken so far and the remaining task of inves tigation of CMIEIT also sus pended. As per official docu mentary evidence, in the said fresh case during an initial inquiry, the NAB has found that 442-15 acres and 475 acres land of Deh Lal Bakhar had been ille gally transferred through an entry no. 36, on august 13, 2014. The said land was later converted into a housing scheme with the connivance of government officials. NAB authorities in their correspondence stated that in the light of the nature of allegations, prima facie it has been observed that Land Utilisation Department is in custody of important record relevant to the said issue, which could be helpful for just decision of inquiry. NAB authorities asked the Secretary LU to direct the concerned officer to appear in person before Combined Investigation Team CIT of NAB, Karachi along with attested copies of relevant record, and pro vide notification and lay-out plan of the area assigned to Lyari Development Author ity (LDA) for the launching of housing Scheme No. 42. In March 2024, the Chief Minister’s Inspection, Enqui ries, and Implementation Team (CMIEIT) had exposed a massive land fraud involv ing the illegal allotment of 5,500 acres of state land in Manghopir, Karachi, which valued between Rs1 tril lion and Rs2.5 trillion, was also fraudulently allocated despite a Supreme Court ban on such transactions. The said inquiry con cluded that forged records were used to transfer state land, particularly in un-sur veyed areas, violating court orders, with the connivance of Revenue staff, deputy com missioner office staff, and other government entities. Though the inquiry team had recommended cancel ling of all said fraudulent allotments and leases and referring of cases to the NAB for prosecution and recovery of losses, and conduct a comprehensive audit of government land transactions across Sindh; but despite the lapse of ten months, no action has been taken so far.