With the apathy of revenue authorities in avoiding encroachments of state lands by the powerful land mafia, the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) seeks possession of at least 22,560 acres of lands for which the water utility had paid decades ago, so that valuable land could be secured from the clutches of land encroachers, Pakistan Today has learnt reliably.
Interestingly, more than 780 acres of the water utility’s land, which remained with the board of revenue and yet not transferred to the KWSB, located in the metropolis at prime location, has been encroached by influential individuals and groups causing loss of billions to the water utility. Besides, the encroachment of the lands has also baldy affected the ongoing and future mega projects aimed at fulfilling water needs of the city’s dwellers in future, according to official sources.
The KWSB managing director got the precious lands cleared from the land mafia and got physical possession of thousands of acres land, however, according to sources, the ‘traditional slackness’ had put these lands at the mercy of land mafia. The MD, many a times, approached the chief minister, governor and the senior member board of revenue for possession of these lands to the water utility after getting them cleared from the land mafia but no serious efforts had so far been made in this regard, the sources added.
The water utility has forwarded a letter No MD/KWSB/2012/718/L to the principle secretaries of governor, cm, chief secretary, headquarters 5 corps, secretary local government etc with the request to protect the lands and complete the records.
“As discussed in meetings, a total of 22,560 acres of KWSB land is scattered in pockets and pieces throughout the city and even beyond its limits in different dehs, towns and districts. Out of this, around 780 acres land is located in metropolitan areas of Karachi. However, due to manifold increase in real estate value, these valuable KWSB assets, especially those located in prime location, being a soft target have been encroached by some influential groups “, according to a letter exclusively available with the Pakistan Today.
“Mainly the incomplete title formalities in respect of these lands encourage such embezzlement, manhandling and land grabbing, which is a cause of concern and loss to KWSB since long. Now, as decided in the meetings and clearly directed by the Sindh government authorities, the Karachi commissioner and the Sindh board of revenue shall facilitate KWSB in completion of legal entitlement in records of rights and government registers and they will hand over the secure and peaceful possession of these lands to KWSB after clearance of all encroachments. The details of all KWSB lands compiled by a reputable consultant as a part of GIS land demarcation plan are hereby forwarded to them”, the letter added.
“In the light of above referred deliberations, it is requested that the deputy commissioner and revenue officers in all districts and sub divisions may kindly be issued appropriate time-bound instructions for completion of title formalities, demarcation and physical possession of KWSB lands, the adequate force of anti-encroachment police and suitable machinery of commissioner’s/KMC demolition squad may be detailed to KWSB for clearance of all encroachment from its land and all the concerned may be directed to extend cooperation and assistance to the KWSB focal person in the matter”, the letter concluded.
When contacted, KWSB Managing Director Misbahuddin Farid said the water utility had acquired these lands from the revenue department after payment in 1968. These lands are located at Haleji, Ghaghar, Chiliya, Pirpri and at around water board’s installations, he said, adding that expansion projects of water board seemed to face serious problems in future with the continued menace of land mafia. “We have compiled the record of the lands by a consultant and shared it with the revenue officials so that these lands could shortly be handed over to the water utility”, he added.
