–Land worth billions illegally occupied in six mauzas of city with ‘collusion’ of officers concerned
–Anti-corruption deputy director says dept trying its to retrieve land, 260 kanals recovered so far
LAHORE: Around 1,280 kanals of land worth billions of rupees, out of the total 66,718 kanals of the Punjab government, is illegally occupied in six different mauzas of the provincial capital, Pakistan Today has learnt.
Mauza is a type of administrative district, corresponding to a specific land area within which there may be one or more settlements. The term is used to refer to a revenue collection unit in a revenue district.
According to the details received by this scribe, six mauzas in Lahore, namely Bela Basti Ram, Shahdra, Qila Gujjar Singh, Icchra, Baghbanpura and Lahore Khas, have a total area of 66,718 kanals and 18 marlas; whereas the total welfare land in all six mauzas is 14,319 kanals and 5 marlas.
Government department’s land in the mauzas is stretched at 46,873 kanals and 18 marlas while the remaining state land is 5,525 kanals and 14 marlas. The land on long lease is 307 kanals and 6 marlas, vacant land is 536 kanals and 7 marlas whereas the area of illegally occupied land is 1,280 kanals and 1 marla.
In Mauza Bela Basti Ram, the total area is 990 kanals and 17 marlas out of which welfare land is stretched at 596 kanals and one marlas, land under various government departments is 146 kanals and 19 marlas, remaining state land is 247 kanals 16 marlas, long lease land is 3 kanals and 5 marlas whereas 244 kanals and 11 marlas of land is under illegal occupancy.
Mauza Shahdara has a total area of 2,473 kanals and 5 marlas, out of which 1,624 kanals and 3 marlas are for welfare purposes, under government departments there is 18,069 kanals and 3 marlas of land, the remaining state land is 779 kanals and 18 marlas, long lease land is 6 kanals and 18 marlas while vacant land is 488 kanals and 14 marlas. Almost 284 kanals and 5 marlas of land in the mauza has been illegally occupied.
According to a report of the Land Record Authority, Mauza Lahore Khas has a total area of 6,040 kanals and 10 marlas, of which welfare land is stretched at 3,027 kanals and 11 marlas; under various government departments are 2,600 kanals and 13 marlas of land, remaining state land is 412 kanals and 4 marlas, on long lease are 56 kanals and 12 marlas, the vacant land is 5 kanals and 13 marlas, while the illegally occupied land is 349 kanals and 19 marlas.
The same report states that Mauza Baghbanpura, which is spread over an area of 8,653 kanals and 15 marlas, has 1,925 kanals and 7 marla for welfare purposes. Different government departments own 6,292 kanals and 1 marla, remaining state land is 436 kanals and 7 marlas, long lease land is 2 kanals and 16 marlas, vacant land is 39 kanals and 18 marlas, whereas the illegally occupied land in the mauza is 393 kanals and 12 marlas.
Similarly, Mauza Qila Gujjar Singh has a total area of 4,734 kanals and 15 marlas, out of which welfare land is 773 kanals and 2 marlas, the land under various departments is 2,819 kanals and 16 marlas, remaining state land is 1,141 kanals and 16 marlas, long lease land is 1,137 and 10 marlas and although there is no vacant land in the mauza, the area of illegally occupied land is 4 kanals and 6 marlas.
The last of the six identified mauzas – Icchra – as mentioned in the report, has the largest area and spreads over 25,825 kanals and 13 marlas. Out of it, the welfare land is 6,372 kanals and 19 marlas, under various government departments are 16,945 kanals and 3 marlas, remaining state land is 2,507 kanals and 11 marlas, on long lease is land stretched at 2,502 kanals and 3 marlas, vacant land is 2 kanals and 2 marlas whereas 3 kanals and 5 marlas are illegally occupied.
Sources informed Pakistan Today that the illegally occupied land in all six of mauzas was either encroached or plazas and residential units had been constructed on it. “The lands have been occupied in collusion with government officers and that is why the authorities concerned have failed to recover it,” they said.
“We are trying to retrieve the illegally occupied land in all six mauzas of Lahore,” Punjab Anti-Corruption Department Deputy Director Shahrukh Khan Niazi said while speaking to Pakistan Today.
He added the department had so far retrieved almost 260 kanals of government land that was earlier occupied and they were taking an action against illegal occupants anywhere it was needed.
