Committee probes sale of Bahawalpur’s public property

Rejects the sale of land worth over Rs40 billion for a mere Rs851 million.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate functional committee on under-developed areas expressed grave concern over the dubious sale of 39 public properties in Bahawalpur at throw-away prices, here on Wednesday.

Chaired by Dr. Abdul Malik, the committee rejected the auction of land worth over Rs40 billion for a mere Rs 851 million, and directed the Punjab government to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter.

The meeting also discussed referring the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), or some other competent forum.

Chairman Punjab Privatisation Board (PPB) Chaudhary Safdar Hussain, Secretary PPB Mohammad Ashiq and member board of revenue Tariq Mahmood contended that chief minister Punjab had authorised the privatisation of land in Bahawalpur and that the entire auctioning process was conducted as per the law.

“It is sheer violation of the rules and rights of the people of Bahawalpur to sell their precious properties at throwaway prices,” said former Information Minister Senator Muhammad Ali Durrani.

He provided documentary proof and official correspondence about the sale of precious land at throw-away prices.

Senator Haji Adeel termed the sale of land in blocks of 200 acres each a ‘loot sale,’ aimed at promoting the ‘landlord’ culture.

Senator Durrani proposed the committee to itself conduct a fact-finding visit of Bahawalpur to probe the matter.

Meanwhile, former naib nazim Feroza Town Waheed Arshad and Advocate Chaudhry Shaukat Ali Asim also briefed the committee on the irregularities committed in the auctioning.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2011.