Probe into Rs936m land record scam stalled

LAHORE: A major probe into alleged financial irregularities amounting to Rs936 million in the land record has been stalled due to bureaucratic delays, prompting strong criticism from the Public Accounts Committee-2 (PAC-2).

The investigation covering unverified challans, suspicious mutations, illegal entries in land records and other alleged malpractices could not progress as officials of the Revenue Department repeatedly failed to submit the required record.

A meeting of PAC-2, chaired by Syed Ali Haider Gilani, PPP MPA and Chairman of the committee, had to be postponed after the officers concerned did not provide the documents requested during the PTI government’s tenure. When the meeting was reconvened, the relevant record was again submitted only a few hours before the session, drawing sharp anger from the chairman.

Syed Ali Haider Gilani took serious notice of the continued non-compliance, questioning why the committee was not being provided timely access to documents crucial for accountability. Following the chairman’s reprimand, Revenue Department officers apologised for the delay.

According to committee sources, the persistent non-cooperation of bureaucrats has effectively obstructed the accountability process initiated during the previous government raising concerns about transparency in matters related to land revenue.