The business friendly commercialisation policy of the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has ‘matured’ into a scary one as the officials are hell-bent filling their pockets for the approval of cases submitted by the people at the LDA’s Johar Town office.
In accordance with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s vision, the LDA announced the Commercialisation Policy 2011 with a publicity blitz on July 2 revolving around the slogans of “Karobar Dost Commercialisation Policy” which was described as at par with modern trends and portrayed as the guarantee to success. The authority also showcased new incentives like the permission to run all kinds of businesses, removal of restriction on the plot size and height of the buildings on 58 commercialised roads.
Reliable sources said before the policy could gain momentum, the LDA assigned Assistant Director Salman Raza to look after the affairs of Johar Town commercial area and the private housing schemes but he started taking bribes from the people seeking to get their land commercialised.
Sources said Salman Raza, who was appointed in November 2010 on a three-year contract, had set extortion fee depending on the plot price and locality. A senior official told Pakistan Today that Salman, a nephew of LDA Employees Union leader Naeemullah Khan, was running a racket patronised by the top officials. He said the LDA high command wilfully had not created a special complaint cell to leave the complainants high and dry.
“As complainants have no direct access to the LDA’s big bosses, including Additional Director General Irfan Ali Bhatti and Chief Town Planner Muhammad Akram, bribery has become a custom,” he added. Furthermore, LDA Director General Abdul Jabbar Shaheen and Additional Director General (Headquarters) Hafiz Ahsan-ul-Haq seldom were available at offices located on Egerton Road, leaving the people at the mercy of the racket, he added.
When contacted, LDA Chief Town Planner Muhammad Akram termed the allegations fabricated, uncalled for and a sham. He said under the new policy, all the files submitted by the people were being processed on fast-track basis. “Cases are being disposed of within 10 days and the allegations of bribery are baseless.”
He said a One Window Cell had been established in the offices of the director and deputy director commercialisation to listen to the complaints and expedite the process.
He said the authority would take prompt action if any official was found guilty of receiving bribes.
