SC chides revenue officer over occupation of Sindh govt lands

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday reprimanded Senior Member of Sindh Board of Revenue (SBR), Shamsuddin Soomro for not giving a satisfactory answer in a case pertaining to computerisation of official land records.

 The top court ordered to end illegal occupations on government lands. The apex court also directed the senior member to fully implement the court order and submit a comprehensive report within a month.

 A case of computerisation of government land records was heard before a bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

 The court asked the senior member how much government land was retrieved. Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, while expressing anger, remarked: "Don't play games with us. More than half of Sindh government lands are occupied, are they are not visible to you? The anti-encroachment courts are also not doing anything.

 There is only one case in a city like Sukkur." Soomro said, "We are trying and the department is in the process of computerising the land records." Justice Ahsan in his remarks said that there was no case in Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur and Benazirabad.

"The whole of Karachi is under occupation and there are only nine cases," Justice Ahsan said. Addressing the Sindh Advocate General, the chief justice asked: "What are these officers doing? They are only protecting their own interests.

 Who are these people serving?" Justice Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed in his remarks said, "You are an employee of the state and not a personal employee of anyone.

 Why don't you send a complaint? What are your interests? Have you colluded with the mafia and protecting them?" The CJP warned the senior member to implement the court orders or go to jail.