Daily Times

KARACHI: A reference prepared by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against 28 persons including Bahria Town management, former Sindh chief minister, former Sindh local government minister and 18 government officials has been delayed after Supreme Court (SC) restrained the anti-corruption watchdog from taking action over illegal adjustment and exchange of thousands of acres of land for the housing society.

The apex court in its order has stopped NAB from taking any action against Bahria Town management or anyone who has been named in its judgment now under review. The SC in its order had said as one of the judges who was part of the bench which announced the verdict has retired now and the other judge has given a dissenting note in favour of the Bahria Town, a new five-member bench will be constituted to hear the review petition.

Some 12,156 acres of land for Bahria Town project on the Super Highway was allotted illegally in 2014-2015.The NAB has prepared a reference against former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, former local government minister Sharjeel Memon, Bahria Group Chairman Malik Riaz, his two sons Ahmad Riaz and Zain Riaz, illegal allottees Faisal Sarwar, M Awais, Waseem Riffat and Waqas Riffat, officials of Malir Development Authority, Sindh Board of Revenue former DG Manzoor Ahmad, retired DG of Sindh Building Control Authority Agha Maqsood Abbas and former administrator KMC Saqib Soomro over their alleged involvement in the housing scandal.

NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal had ordered filling of the reference following directives of the Supreme Court. The case was investigated by Qamar Abbas Abbasi, investigation officer of NAB Karachi, along with his team from April 2017 to July 2017.The findings exposed illegal adjustment, exchange and consolidation of thousands of acres of un-allotted state land in multiple dehs ofdistrict Malir for the purpose of development of Bahria Town project.

In addition, misuse of authority by relevant office of the revenue department, MDA, SBCA and others was also established. Bahria Town stood the illegal beneficiary of un-allotted state land in connivance with relevant officials of the Board of Revenue and the Malir Development Authority.

Bahria Town collected a sum of Rs 215 billion from the general public till September 2017 on account of registration fees and quarterly payments for plots and homes to be developed on the said land.

The name of former chief minister Qaim Ali Shah surfaced during the inquiry stage but was dropped due to some legal issues. Later his name was added to the scandal on the basis of evidence collected during the investigation process.

Published in Daily Times, July 2^nd 2018.