‘No operation under way at Jati Umra’

PM’s adviser Shahzad Akbar rejects false impression created by PML-N

LAHORE:

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability Shahzad Akbar has rejected the “false impression” created by the PML-N that the PTI led Punjab government has launched an operation to reclaim some land now part of the PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s family residence at Raiwind.

“Last night, the PML-N’s social media wing spread rumours that shipping containers have been placed in Raiwind to carry out an operation in Jati Umra [Sharif’s residence]. No operation is underway at Raiwind and there is nothing on ground,” Akbar said on Friday while addressing a press conference.

According to the adviser, shipping containers could not demolish walls and bulldozers and other machinery are required for demolishing buildings. “It is a false impression given the fact that civil court has been approached against a revenue officer’s order,” he added.

Akbar said the Punjab government has started a campaign to retrieve government land from illegal possessions and the drive is under way in the province.

“According to the Lahore Record of Rights, the Punjab government had 839 kanals of land in 1966 and 1967 in Mouza Manak – now known as Jati Umra – but today it has not a single marla over there.”

He said when the revenue department looked into the matter it transpired that a huge piece of land in the mouza was transferred to some people in 1989, 1992 and 1994.

“The persons to whom the land was transferred were Waheeda Begum, Muhammad Ali and an another person. The land was transferred on the order of a deputy secretary of the Board of Revenue (BoR) and there was no proper letter in this regard.

“The BoR gave in writing that no proper record was available in this regard. Later, the BoR wrote to the district administration to make corrections in the record and restore the provincial government’s land to its title,” he added.

He said the BoR also cancelled the “fake order” to transfer the land to private individuals. Akbar said all subsequent transfers were also cancelled.

“Now it is not a dispute between the Punjab government and the Sharif family. The parties in the case are actually the Sharif family and those from whom they purchased the land.”

To a question, he said that lands had been retrieved after following due process, adding that it is the responsibility of the government to retrieve the land from illegal possessions.

"Nawaz Sharif, who is a proclaimed offender, never gives explanation about his foreign assets but he criticizes the institutions," he added. APP