ETPB leases out Haji camp for 30 years for Rs194m

LAHORE: Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has leased the priced land of the Haji camp near the Lahore Railways Station for Rs194 million for a period of 30 years.

“We have leased the Haji camp land measuring 19 kanal and 11 marla at the highest price,” ETPB Chairman Muhammad Siddiq-ul-Farooq claimed at a press conference at his residence on Saturday. He said the land had not been sold, rather leased to a private individual, Safdar Iqbal, for 30 years and the contract was extendable. “After the expiry of the leased term; the board can get back its property again. We were earning around Rs 5 million a year in rent of the land but now we will get around Rs 50 million after its new construction,” he argued.

The chairman also made it clear that this year pilgrims would be trained at the Haji camp as per normal arrangements in July but from the next year new construction had been proposed to the Ministry of Religious Affairs near Motorway at Thokar Niaz Beg. To a question, he said as per estimates, the DC rate of the locality had been fixed at Rs 25 million per kanal and the estimated market rate at Rs 2 million per marla (Rs40 million per kanal). “The board has earned the highest price through open auction. The lessee will also pay ETPB Rs 6 million per annum soon after completing development works at the place,” he added.

When asked why ETPB didn’t opt for constructing the property through its own resources to get more revenue, the chairman said the board had not enough money for new constructions. He also rejected the claim that the lessee was his relative.