Land summary was sent to Punjab CM on June 7, 1986

Jang and Geo group owner was arrested by NAB in an alleged land scam on Thursday

LAHORE: According to the story of the 54-kanal land scandal of Mir Shakilur Rahman, an application for obtaining power of attorney from Hidayat Ali and others was filed with the LDA in June 1986, under which the land was measuring 180-kanal and 18-marla.

On June 7, 1986, the LDA DG initially started work for sending the summary to the Punjab chief minister.

The preliminary draft stated that the LDA had already obtained the land for development work at Johar Town Phase-II.

On July 3, 1986, LDA DG Humayun Faiz Rasool sent a summary to the chief minister for approval, which got approval in a few days on July 11, 1986. The LDA acquired the land, which did not even receive permission for the preliminary development work.

In this regard, the applicants were required to develop 30% of the plots under the Housing Act 1973 as per the exemption policy. However, the land was allotted in violation of the law.

Under this formula, 55-kanal and five-marla were to be allotted. The land was located at three different places – 33-kanal at canal bank, 124-kanal near the canal bank and 23-kanal near the Civic Centre.

According to NAB investigation, on July 30, 1986, the land was transferred in the name of Shaheena Shakeel, Mohammad Ibrahim, Aisha Shakeel, Asma Shakeel and Ismail Shakeel through the power of attorney from Hidayatullah.

During this time, there were two civil cases, including Altamash Butt versus LDA Plot No 81H and Mohammed Arshad versus LDA 111H, which were dismissed by Civil Judge Lahore.

The allotment details of two plots was not provided. Shakilur Rahman's holdings of the land were reduced by 10-marla by EDOR.

In this regard, then MPA Rana Aftab Ahmed Khan raised a question in the meeting of the Punjab Assembly on December 28, 1993, whether it was fair that the 72-kanal of land was allotted under the influence of the Punjab chief minister on BRB Canal Raiwind Road.

On this, the LDA took the position that this question was incorrect and that 180-kanal was allotted on the basis of exemption formula.

According to the LDA, the Johar Town Housing Society was established in 1981. In 1986, the then Punjab Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif provided 55-kanal and five-marla land on July 14, 1986 under the Examination Rules.

The Punjab chief minister wrote in the summary that this is a special case and no procedures and rules will be followed.

The NAB began investigating the illegal sale of the land.