Retrieving land that time forgot

LAHORE: The crackdown has begun.The FIA has finally come into action against the massive irregularities, corruption and encroachment reportedin the matters of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) that has caused a massive loss of Rs. 77.597 billion to national exchequer (partly reported in Bol News edition Dec 26 – Jan 1)

The ETPB, a multi billion rupees organization, has been escaping any sort of accountability in its affairs for several decades. However, it finally came under the scanner when the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered a forensic audit of the Board’s accounts which was conducted by the office of the Accountant General of Pakistan and found a has seen a number of ETPB official ‘found responsible in commission of irregularities

That has set the ball rolling and subsequently, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has come into action, conducting raids and making arrests during the past two weeks to retrieve several thousand acres of illegally occupied land.

In the raids conducted so far, the FIA has retrieved over 1150 acres of ETPB land worth Rs.15028.78 million from the illegal occupants across the country.

Director FIA Lahore Zone-1 DIG Dr Muhammad Rizwan shared the details of those actions taken by FIA to retrieve this land. Besides, he said Rs. 296.489 million have been recovered as arrears.

Dr Rizwan further said that out of the total 776 audit paras, 453 have been addressed. The FIA has registered 39 FIRs and arrested 26 accused among a total of 117. Similarly, FIA has registered 197 Inquiries which are under investigation.

According to data shared by FIA, FIA Punjab Zone-I retrieved 230 acre of land, FIA Islamabad Zone retrieved 274 acre, FIA KPK Zone retrieved 08 acre, FIA Punjab Zone-II retrieved 302 acre, FIA Sindh Zone-I retrieved 02 Kanal land, FIA Sindh Zone-II retrieved 331 acre and FIA Balochistan Zone has also retrieved 5 Kanal.

Among other massive irregularities that came to fore during the detailed research carried out by Bol News into the ETPB affairs also included the losses due to non-recovery of rent and lease money from Elite Force, Lahore:

The research showed that the land measuring 72 kanal and seven marla, situated at village Mota Singh Wala, Bedian Road in Lahore was leased out to one Bashir Ahmad Saleemi in1998 for three years. However, the Punjab Elite Force (Punjab Police Department) illegally occupied the land by forcibly snatching it from Bashir. The management of the Elite Force later proposed to exchange its own land with the above piece of land. However, the same was not handed over to Bashir by the Elite Force and finally the decision of exchange of land was withdrawn by the ETPB on March 10, 2021. The Board officials assumed control of the land barring an area of about 8 kanal which remained occupied by the family of a former DIG. The ETPB told the audit officials that the possession of house No A-2 was not handed over to ETPB as the family of Shaheed DIG Fiyaz Sumbal was residing in the house. This case to-date remains unresolved.

Encroachment of plots measuring 5,399 sq yards by Pak PWD

The ETP Board owned plots bearing No.GRE-659/A, 662/1/17, 662/1/18, GRE-662/1/20 and GRE-764 measuring 5399 square yards at Jahangir Road in Jamshed Town Karachi. Pakistan PWD, Karachi encroached the above plots in 1963 and constructed houses in locality called Martin Quarters on it and was receiving sizeable rent from the occupants. The ETP Board in its meeting on May 22, 2015 directed to regularize the possession of occupants forthwith and fixed rent and the arrears. The total amount up to July 2021 came to Rs.497, 258 million. However, in a case of sheer negligence, the management of ETPB in Karachi has not implemented the decision of the Board, even after a lapse of 63 months which has resulted in a loss of Rs 497.258 million.

Similarly, the ETP property No. SW-99-R-4 at Habibia Road, near Chistia High School Islampura in Lahore, measuring 7 kanals, 8 marlas 56 sq/ft was first leased through agreement on April 21, 1973 (commencing from 6.11.1972) to President Family Welfare Co-operative Society (FWCS) Old Anarkali Lahore for 20 years, with annual rent of Rs.166.78 (50% rebate per month) for construction of Socio-Economic Centre.

Since then, it had been under their tenancy. As per clause 4, 5, 6(f) of the lease agreement the FWCS would construct 14 shops (5 of 20’ 6” x 11’ 3” each and 9 of 9’ x 11’ 3”) with a cost of Rs.125,000 and after adjustment of the cost of construction, the shopping centre would invest in the Board free from all encumbrances.

The lease period was extended for 10 years in 1992 and again in 2003 with the permission of construction of six additional shops but no further extension in lease period has been observed in the record. The Board in its meeting on October 7, 2015 endorsed a proposal from a Board member that legal challenge thrown by FWCS to be responded effectively for resuming the custody of shops for which the rent was being charged by FWCS as encroachers.

The audit observed that the society, in violation to clause 6(f) of the lease agreement of 1973, had illegally occupied/encroached upon the 20 shops which had also been held by the Board in its meeting No. 293 held on 7.10.2015. But no action was taken by the management for evicting illegal occupants from the 20 shops under section 25 of the ETPB Act, 1975.

The management replied on 03.09.2021 that the society challenged the decision in the Civil Court Lahore. The Civil Court, Lahore decided the case on 09.03.2021 in favour of the department. Afterwards, the society challenged the order of the Civil Court in the Lahore Session Court which is pending adjudication. Further action will be taken in the light of the decision of the Session Court.

Loss of revenue due to untraced agriculture land in Sukkur

The management of Evacuee Trust Property office in Sukkur provided a statement of agricultural land measuring 7764 acres in different districts including in Rohri about 115 acres and 23 kanal, in Nawabshah 839 acres and 39 kanal, 120 marla, in Nosheroferoz 1397 acres and 358 kanal and 884 marlas, in Larkana 1328 acres and 635 kanal and 1340 marlas, in Shahdadkot 1230 acres and 500 kanal and 1107 marla, in Khairpur 902 acres and 519 kanal and 804 marla, in Ghotki 255 acres and 9 kanal, in Shikarpur 1347 acres and 381 kanal and 578 marla, in Jacobabad 12 acres and 4 kanal and 16 marla.

Currently, land measuring 238 acres is under lease out of a total agricultural land measuring 7764 acres which means that massive land measuring up to 7526 acre is still in possession of illegal occupants. The audit observed that the management of ETP, Sukkur had never taken any steps nor requested the Revenue Department, Government of Sindh for retrieval the 7526 acres of agriculture land.

Irregular investment of ET property funds for Rs.5741.606 million

The management of Evacuee Trust Property Board, Lahore made an investment of Government funds Rs.5741.606 million in various financial institutions for different terms in violation of Section 4(m) of ETP (management & Disposal) Act 1975. Audit observed that the investments were made for profit earning instead of social welfare / charitable purpose as enunciated in the ETP Act 1975. The investments were made without approval from the Federal Cabinet against the instructions given in Clause 4(m) of the ETP act 1975. Audit is of the view that investing of ETP funds without prior approval from Federal Cabinet and against the approved purposes, was irregular and unauthorized.

All the above mentioned irregularities and many more such ones amounting to billions reflect poorly on the ETPB management as well as the authorities concerned who never really bothered to keep a track record of the Board’s affairs or check their books. Having said that, it is never too late and if the authorities are finally waking up to such misdeed being committed in major government organisations and taking them to task, it means there’s still some light at the tunnel’s end.

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