Investigations have revealed that many government offices and residential houses situated at prime land in the metropolis have been occupied by land grabbers since last many years.
Starting from the city’s posh area – Clifton – the land mafia has occupied public property in almost all parts of the city but no one can dare to get these properties due to involvement of the influential people.
Interestingly, the provincial government had declared these buildings dangerous and issued orders to demolish them but a long chain of land mafia made the government unable to remove a single block of these endangered buildings.
Sources told Pakistan Today that Postal and Telegraph Colony, which is commonly known as P&T Colony, was encroached before the creation of the country and situated at the prime land of Clifton was occupied by the retired employees of the department.
After the establishment of Pakistan, the government established its offices in these flats and some of the employees of the department have also been living in these governmental apartments but after retirement they had occupied these assets, the sources added.
The former government declared the occupation of these buildings illegal but due to stronghold of the land mafia, these buildings were regularised against huge bribe by the officials, the sources accused.
The government offices situated at precious lands of Martin Quarters, Jamshaid Quarters and Patel Para were also occupied by the retired employees with the help of land mafia. The employees have also constructed open plots in these areas, the sources maintained.
A federal minister of ex-prime minister Shaukat Aziz-led cabinet, had issued allotment orders to the occupants of these areas due to which the provincial government of Sindh faced loss of Rs 420 billion. However, the allotment of this land was challenged in the Sindh High Court (SHC), the sources claimed.
The government apartments of the federal capital (FC) area which are situated opposite to Al-Karam Square were occupied by unauthorised persons, the sources said, adding the occupants were enjoying all utilities at the government expense .
Another example of illegal occupation of the government land is the Intelligence School, which is situated near PIDC, and many other illegal occupations at garden are the example of these illegal encroachments,” the sources added.
The sources apprised that at some places the occupants had encroached small industrial zones on these prime lands and using all utilities at subsidized rates which were given to government at that time.
In all these government residential areas and buildings, the occupants are using discount electricity connections of WAPDA, which it issued to facilitate the government employees of that time. Besides, the occupants are also using kundas to run their small industrial zones.
