Despite repeated promises by comparatively better governed Punjab provincial government, headed by Shahbaz Sharif, the powerful land mafia and corrupt civil bureaucracy have prevented computerised documentation of land record, along with location of constructed bridges, amenity parks, state and private owned storage buildings etc. The credibility of CM Punjab is at stake because he has been in power for seven years. If Punjab takes lead, others will be forced to follow. While state revenue generation would increase, this documentation would prevent illegal grabbing of state and private lands by those who benefit from this trade in collaboration with corrupt elements within paid bureaucracy and few rotten eggs in politics. It is time for CM Punjab to walk his talk and enforce complete documentation of existing land records, a process that can be completed in 120 days.
Pakistan faces a looming threat of water scarcity, diminishing green belts and massive deforestation to make way for concrete jungles owned by powerful land developers or few public office holders with their insatiable greed for plot allotments. If this goes unchecked Pakistan faces the threat of a famine given the acute water crisis it already faces and an increasing population.
Thousands of acres of prime real estate in Karachi earmarked for amenity parks, such as Kidney Hill have been illegally occupied and converted into illegal private housing societies which continue to exist. Billions of rupees have been misappropriated by corrupt bureaucracy on ghost bridges, schools, health centres and roads that exist only on paper in an era where a satellite scan can verify authenticity of documented land records. Powerful vested interests in collaboration with corrupt public office holders have succeeded to prevent this documentation that would protect rights of individual land owners and make it impossible for patwaris and land revenue officials to indulge in institutionalised corruption.
ALI M TARIQ
Dubai, UAE
