- Punjab CM allots 250 acre land to Abida Hussain without payment
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif has allotted 250 acre of land to former minister and National Assembly Member Abida Hussain on lease without the payment of Rs 500 million.
According to sources, Hussain and her husband former National Assembly Speaker Syed Fakhar Imam have internally assured their full cooperation to the Punjab government and not to give any statement against the government or criticise its policies, adding that Hamza Shahbaz and Begum Tehmina Durrani played a vital role in this deal.
It is worth-mentioning here that the CM while address a public gathering in Multan announced that land of Shah Jewan would be released from the possession of Abida Hussain to establish Danish university there but the CM keeping in view the political compulsion has dropped the project to educate the people of the backward areas of the province.
Sources further informed that proposed land was allotted to Col (r) Syed Abid Hussain, father of Abida Hussain, for showing loyalties to British government.
In Zulifqar Ali Bhutto regime, this land was returned to government after agricultural reforms in 1972. Later, Abida Hussain acquired the land from Punjab government against the minimum rent of Rs 100 per acer annually.
Hussain, when joined Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Shahbaz through deputy commissioner Jhang filed a writ petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC). The apex court in its verdict ordered the defendant to produce the land. Hussain sought stay order form the court.
When contacted, Hussain, Zaeem Qadri and deputy commissioner Jhang were not available for comments.