National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Admiral (r) Fasih Bokhari on Friday authorised an enquiry into the Rs 62 billion DHA land scam which was earlier recommended for no further action.
The complaint against the DHA management and others included allegations of illegal adjustment of 17,000 kanals of land meant for the proposed Dadhocha Dam, illegal resale of DHA Phase II (Extension) site to DHA Valley and illegal extension of DHA Phase II (Extension).
The NAB chairman directed the Operations director general to immediately initiate a transparent enquiry into the scam so that the sufferings of the public at large could be addressed.
He also directed NAB Rawalpindi DG to conduct a departmental enquiry so that it could be ascertained how and why no further action was recommended for the said complaint. The NAB chairman seemingly has initiated action in this regard after a media report on Friday claimed that the scam is linked to Bahria Town’s Malik Riaz. A former military officer Tariq Kamal has accused Riaz and the Defence Housing Authority of depriving about 150,000 people of their residential plots.
According to Col Tariq, “DHA Islamabad has been receiving money in the name of allotment of plots in DHA Phase I Extension, DHA Phase II Extension and DHA Valley since 2009.” The schemes were launched that year by the Defence Housing Authority.
“DHA-I and DHA-II are developed housing societies, but DHA Valley is yet to be developed,” Col Tariq told the newspaper. However, he said, people who had paid money to get the plots found that they were fooled because they were deliberately kept in dark by the DHA management about the agreement between DHA-I and Bahria Town over land development.
Col Tariq said that in 2009 the DHA had “transferred all the funds raised from the public, which were Rs 62 billion, to the accounts of Bahria Town”.
The retired colonel has worked for the DHA as director for urban planning. Col Tariq said: “Those who got cheated include 110,000 civilians, 41,000 serving and retired military officers, jawans and families of martyrs. Total land in question is 165,000 kanals.” These figures related only to DHA Valley project.
According to the charges, Malik Riaz started development activity on 10,000 kanals designated for DHA Valley in 2009. Once this process began, the DHA bosses transferred Rs 62 billion into the account of Malik Riaz without any guarantee and “against the advice of DHAI legal advisers Ahmer Bilal Soofi & Co.” The amount was earned by the sale of all the planned plots in the valley.
Col Tariq said: “Those DHAI employees who objected to the illegal steps were sacked immediately.” He alleged that the development of the valley stopped shortly afterwards and that Riaz used the money elsewhere for his personal benefits. Because of the agreements, DHAI is unable to take any decision or action on the matter.
NAB restarts enquiry into Rs62b DHA scam
