Illegal housing project case: NAB files reference against ex-Malir DC, builder

KARACHI: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Saturday filed a reference against a former deputy commissioner, private builder and ex-revenue officers for their alleged involvement in an illegal housing project on government land in sectors 31 and 32 of Scheme 33.

Former deputy commissioner Malir Qazi Jan Mohammad, owner of Ghani Builder Javed Iqbal, former Mukhtiarkar Abdul Latif and nine others were booked by the federal anti-graft watchdog in the reference pertaining to illegal allotment of government land and cheating public at large in the name of a housing project. According to NAB, Iqbal in collusion with the other co-accused, arranged fake and fabricated entries in 29 acres of government land situated in sectors 31,32 and 24-A of Scheme 33, launched an illegal housing scheme, named Al-Raheem Villas, and cheated 275 persons, obtaining an amount of Rs179 million from them. They were found involved in the commission of offence of cheating public at large by selling 27 acres of government land worth Rs.2.5 billion to general public.

KKF vehicles The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday filed a report before an anti-terrorism court with regard to details of 48 vehicles being used by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) charity wing, Khidmat-e-Khalq Foundation (KKF), in a money laundering case. The FIA informed the court that it had found the details of 48 vehicles being used by the MQM’s KKF and the registration numbers of those vehicles had been sent to the excise and taxation department for the verification of ownership.

The agency submitted that the excise department had been asked not to transfer the registration of vehicles to any other persons till further orders of the court. It is pertinent to mention here that the FIA has already submitted details of properties owned by the KKF. The agency informed the court that properties worth billions of rupees were confiscated in Karachi, Hyderabad and Khairpur. The KKF’s properties which was confiscated in Karachi were found in FB Area, Liaquatabad, Rafa-e-Sam Society, Surjani Town, Orangi Town, Malir, Qasba Colony, Garden and Lyari areas. The FIA submitted that details of the properties were sent to deputy commssioners of districts East, West, South and Central and authorities concerned had been restrained from selling or buying the confiscated properties or transferring the same till the court announced its decision. The FIA informed the court that further investigations in the money laundering case were under way. MQM founder Altaf Hussain, former senator Babar Ghauri and other MQM leaders have also been booked in the case.