Report reveals thousands of acres illegally occupied

Department suffering losses worth millions of rupees annually

MULTAN: A state report by the Auqaf department revealed that thousands of acres have been illegally occupied by individuals, resulting in an annual loss of millions of rupees.

According to the report, the Auqaf department owns a total 76,625 acres of land, which includes 536 shrines and 434 mosques, while approximately 33,000 acres of cultivated land is up for auction.

However, 7,050 acres have been illegally occupied by some 6,350 people over the past few years, which includes 4,533 houses and 822 shops.

The department initiated proceedings against these individuals, but there wasn’t a favourable outcome.

There are a total of 11 zones under the Auqaf department. In Faisalabad, 862 people have occupied 1,035 acres, five kanals and eight marlas on which 3 commercial shops and 221 shops are located.



Further, in Dera Ghazi Khan, 1,730 individuals have occupied 935 acres, five kanals and eight marlas on which 1,015 shops and 517 houses are located. In Bahawalpur, 1,304 citizens have encroached on over 447 acres, which includes 1,239 shops and 30 houses.

In Pakpattan, 161 people have taken over 157 acres, five kanals and 10 marlas which includes 52 houses and 72 shops, while in Gujranwala, 19 people have taken over 16 acres, six kanals and 10 marlas.

In Rawalpindi, 87 individuals have occupied 36 acres, 11 kanals and 10 marlas, while in Multan 132 have occupied four acres, three kanals and 17 marlas which includes 87 houses and 43 shops.

In Sargodha, 192 individuals have taken over 37 acres, three kanals and 10 marlas, which includes 152 houses and four shops. In Lahore, around 1,818 people have occupied 10 acres, 48 kanals and 1 marla including 173 houses and 82 shops.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2018.