SHC directs CM, chief secretary to look into illegal allotments of land

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed the chief minister and chief secretary to look into the matters with regard to illegal allotment of lands in the province and take action against the persons involved in such illegal allotments.

Hearing the petition of a builder against the National Accountability Bureau’s inquiry, the court remarked what was going on with lands of the province as every land was disputed or illegally allotted, which is nothing but a failure of system.

The court took an exception over non-completion of inquiry against the builder and inquired from the NAB prosecutor to give a clear time-frame about completion of inquiry. The NAB prosecutor submitted that the builder had obtained a stay order from court with regard to cancellation of allotment of land in the Gulistan-e-Jauhar area.

The court observed that every land case was disputed and pending before court for adjudication and directed NAB to complete the inquiry and submit the report.

Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court directed NAB to submit a report with regard to closure of inquiry against Pakistan People's Party leader and member of the provincial assembly in the inquiry pertaining to corruption and accumulation of wealth beyond known sources of income.

Environment Minister Taimur Talpur had moved the court for obtaining protective pre-arrest bail in the NAB inquiry pertaining to allegations of accumulation of wealth beyond known sources of income. The NAB prosecutor submitted that an inquiry against the petitioner has been completed and no evidence was found to convert the inquiry into an investigation.

He said that the inquiry report has been sent to chairman NAB for further orders. The court extended the interim pre-arrest bail to the petitioner and directed the NAB officer to submit the final report in the matter.