Operation against land grabbers soon: president

President Asif Ali Zardari announced that an operation would be launched soon against land grabbers in Sindh.

President Asif Ali Zardari announced on Tuesday that an operation would be launched soon against land grabbers in Sindh.

During a meeting of MPAs at the President House in Naudero, Sindh home minister Zulfikar Mirza told the president that influential people have been illegally occupying public land extending over thousands of acres in Sukkur, Khairpur, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Naushero Feroz and other districts of interior Sindh.

President Zardari condemned the act of the influential landlords and ordered their arrests.

“This land should be recovered and then distributed among the poor peasants and women of Sindh,” he said.

“I should not hear of these complaints again,” he directed the officials, urging them to take necessary action.

He instructed Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to keep a lookout for these land grabbers.

Earlier, Zulfikar Mirza had accused some influential politicians, including Mumtaz Bhutto and Arif Jatoi, to have illegally occupied thousands of acres of public land.

The president also demanded for a report to be filed within a month on the rampant corruption prevalent in the developmental projects in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot worth Rs22 billion.

He directed the NHA officials to complete the ongoing development work in the region as the amount allotted for the projects was more than enough.

He also instructed them to mention the name of the officials and contractors responsible for the corruption and embezzlement so that strict disciplinary action can be taken against them.

Sindh law minister Ayaz Soomro, officials of the revenue department and the Sindh chief secretary were also present in the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2010.