NAB arrests builder, employee for land fraud

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Karachi on Thursday claimed to have arrested two men allegedly involved in land fraud.

According to a NAB Karachi spokesperson, the federal anti-corruption watchdog arrested a man, Javed Iqbal, and his alleged accomplice, Waseem, who were wanted in an inquiry against the Rufi Builders and Developers. According to NAB, Iqbal is a builder working under name of Ghani Builders, who is prima facie involved in an embezzlement case pertaining to 19 acres of state land situated in Deh Thoming, Scheme 33 Malir, through managing a fictitious entry in the revenue record in connivance with revenue officials.

The spokesperson claimed that the two suspects fraudulently transferred the land in question, the value of which is approximately Rs3 billion, to Rufi Builders where the latter launched an illegal project, Rufi Pearl City.

“Javed Iqbal is also involved in other cases of NAB on charges of usurpation of government lands in Districts East and Malir,” the spokesperson maintained, adding that his modus operandi was to have illegally usurped land kept in the name of his company’s employees like Waseem until it was disposed of.

Iqbal has in the past surrendered to the bureau 73 acres of usurped land in District Korangi, the NAB Karachi spokesperson said. In another case, the suspect is facing charges of usurpation of 124 acres of land comprising seven dehs of District East and District Malir where several illegal housing projects have been launched. The arrested suspects will be produced before an accountability court for physical remand, the spokesperson said.