Digitisation process to overcome land grabbing: PM

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said that digitisation and cadastral mapping of lands would ensure transparency in the land record and transactions besides eliminating land grabbing.

He was addressing the launching ceremony of the digitisation of land records and cadastral mapping of the federal capital territory.

The premier observed that under the two-phase process, the digitisation of lands and cadastral mapping was completed in Islamabad and would now commence in Lahore and Karachi. In the second phase, it would be broadened to other urban areas of the country, he added.

While referring to the complexities of the past land record system, PM Imran noted that people faced problems while their land was grabbed by the powerful clique who had no regard for the law.

“I will commend the efforts of Capital Development Authority and Survey of Pakistan for the completion of the survey of lands in Islamabad,” the premier said.

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“Under the digital data system, land worth Rs400 billion was retrieved from the land grabbing mafia including Rs300 billion land of CDA and Rs100 billion forest land,” he added.

The ceremony was attended by the ministers, parliamentarians, authorities concerned and media persons.

Terming the process transformative, the premier said, the land record would now be available online, facilitating the people through the use of the latest technology.

He noted that with the use of technology in Islamabad, 45 acres of green areas along the Srinagar Highway alone had been stretched over to 113 acres. About, 1,000 acres of forest land is under illegal occupation, he added.

“Poor always suffered at the hands of land grabbers, but now with the use of such technology, the state lands could be protected.”

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The premier maintained that most of the country’s problems could be solved if overseas Pakistanis, who he said were the “country’s biggest asset”, were utilised effectively.

He regretted that chunks of lands belonging to overseas Pakistanis had often been under illegal occupation by the “Qabza group”, adding that about 50% of cases in the courts pertained to land issues.

PM Imran emphasised the need to establish the rule of law, saying such a move would help attract investment from abroad.

He maintained that the government was making efforts for afforestation in the country to tackle the issues of global warming and pollution.