Daily Times

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the government is considering to bring in a new legislation against land grabbers to ensure strict action against such elements.

Addressing here at the ground-breaking of various development projects by Capital Development Authority, the prime minister mentioned the rise of ‘qabza groups’ in Islamabad and the rest of the country, and stressed a forceful check against them.

He said the land mafia is acting with nefarious objectives to illegally or forcibly take possession of immovable properties of people. He pointed that the improper proceedings result in bail of land grabbers and also the lesser penalty does not act as an effective deterrent against the crime. “The new law will help mitigate the sufferings of people fallen victim to illegal dispossession and ensure strict action against the qabza groups,” he said.

Separately, Prime Minister Imran Khan urged the provinces to contribute to the uplift of merged tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and ensure prosperity of their locals. Chairing a meeting on the reconstruction and development of erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas under the funds provided by the federal government, he acknowledged the immense sacrifices rendered by the people of merged tribal areas for the country and said they needed to be given all the basic amenities of life. It was informed that the population of merged areas was about 2.4 percent of the country’s total populace, and proportionately their share in the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award was amounted to Rs 80 billion.

It was further told that the tribal areas were getting Rs 84 billion before their merger, but now the Federal Government was making increased payment of Rs 146 to them at the rate of 4 percent of the country’s population. The meeting was also informed that Rs 130 billion had been allocated in the federal budget 2021-22 for the development of merged tribal areas.

Also on Wednesday, Prime Minister Imran Khan underlined the need for utilization of latest technology to facilitate public and said that the government was fully committed to e-governance for better performance and delivery system. He was addressing a launching ceremony of issuance of letters of administration and succession certificates by the Punjab government in collaboration with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) here.

The prime minister observed that a revolution had been brought to the world by the information and technology sector which also ensured hassle free governance system. “The government is implementing e-governance to end routine files and paper system. For the first time, land record is being computerized to facilitate public,” he said, adding that in the federal capital territory, such system is being introduced under a target set for the month of August.