Probe into illegal land allotment gears up

KARACHI: Provincial Anti-Corruption Department has accelerated investigation in illegal leases, illegal conversion of land, using of poultry and agriculture land for commercial activities etc. in Karachi’s Malir district against officers of Revenue Department.

According to the documentary evidences accessed by The News earlier on May 7, provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment’s highest forum ‘Anti-Corruption Committee One (ACC-1)’ headed by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah has decided lodging of 64 cases and opening inquiries against 160-plus Sindh government officers and their private aides.

Official documents suggest that investigations were underway into 64 different pieces of land worth billions of rupees against some 100-plus persons including government officers and in this regard a formal request would be sent to Revenue authorities (Deputy Commissioner Malir) to seal the all said properties under inquiry of ACE.

Zameeer Abbasi, Deputy Director Sindh Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) East Karachi, and supervisor of said inquiry informed The News that some 500 acres of precious land was allotted from 2004 to 2015 to some 60-plus blue-eyed persons including politicians, government servants, police officers and some highly influential private persons for the purpose of agriculture and poultry for the period of 30 years but almost all land was misused.

Abbasi added that in initial inquiry it came into the knowledge that the process of initial allotment was also suspicious and fraudulent.