Land grabbers gobble KU property

Ever since the land mafia took hold of the port city several decades ago, no land, be it public or private, has been safe from illegal occupation. It believed that this mafia is not just a few land grabbers grabbers, but rather operates through an impermeable nexus of politicians, criminals, property dealers and corrupt government officials, who all share loot.

The latest victim of this nefarious nexus is half of the seven acre property owned by Karachi University, located right in front of the public university’s main campus. It has remained under the control of the local land mafia and routinely rented out to restaurants, car dealers, local goons as well as a government hospital, which is testament to how extensive the dealings of this mafia are.

According to Karachi University (KU) sources, at least three acres out of the seven acre land has so far been gobbled by the land mafia, which been mooching millions of rupees from businesses illegally established on the property by their aid.

Interestingly, the said property is located on the segment of University Road that oversees the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Center, leading up to the Silver Jubilee Gate of Karachi University. While its occupation by the mafia has also made multiple mentions in letters written by the security and the state office of Karachi University itself.

However, for some reason, it appears that the KU administration and related departments of security and state office have chosen to remain silent on the matter, assisting and abetting the crime by turning a blind eye to it.

According to KU State Officer Noorin Shariq, she too seemed reluctant to opine on the matter, distancing herself from affair by categorising it as a court case that should be addressed by the director legals.

Despite Shariq’s justifications, it seems that the case hasn’t reached any court so far, while the mafia has been conveniently making money by commercialising government property meant for educational purposes. When probed about the lack of intervention by KU in the regard, the state officer was keen to mention that they have impeded the construction of a hospital parking lot on KU’s property by “sending over their men.” However, no explanation could come from the state officer on how exactly the government hospital came in possession of the university’s land in the first place, while she also brushed away all questions about the restaurants and car dealerships set up on the university’s property.

Per available details, the restaurants and car showrooms on the the property have been erected during the tenure of the present State Officer, was replaced by the original State Officer brought by the Selection Board during the tenure of a former Vice Chancellor.

Some of the land from this seven acre property however, has somehow managed to remain out of the occupancy of the land grabbers. It houses the HEJ Research Centre, which has established a botanical garden over there, to shield it from the preying mafia. The garden has also attracted a few plant sellers, who have established their own little plan nurseries on the garden’s other fringes.

So far, the government hospital is what occupies the biggest chunk of this land mafia run KU land, which raises many doubts about the government’s own reliance on these criminal elements.

When the hospital management was probed about the legalities that support the hospital’s construction on the property, they were swift to point fingers at KU for allowing the construction to take place. “The funding for the construction of the hospital has been released by the city government on the orders of the Chief Minister and is being used in public internet. Where was KU with its objections when the walls for the hospital were being built?” commented a person from the hospital’s management on conditions of anonymity.

However, a letter from the state officer, which is available with The Express Tribune, confirms that the KU land has been illegally occupied by nurseries, restaurants and car dealerships. The letter, dated March 9, 2022, addressed to the Deputy Commissioner, District East, said that the Land of Karachi University should be made free from the land grabbing and encroachment that it has fallen prey to, including the few acres of university land by the Silver Jubilee gate.

According to another letter, Karachi University’s security officer has been informed in the past that a lawn has been built in front of the mosque, while a Medical and Dental College University has gone ahead and built a wall on KU property. The letter in revealing so also recommended that a barbed wire fence should be erected, in addition to a boundary wall to shield the university’s property.

Furthermore, a copy of the letter dated 28 September 2021 has also been sent to the Registrar’s Office, Vice Chancellor’s Office and Director Finance. Whereas, when the university’s security officer was contacted in this regard, he said that they have told the state office in writing several times but no action has been taken. The former Campus Security Adviser had approached the Deputy Commissioner in this regard. “His team had come to our office, however no further action has been taken. The present campus security officer Zubair has written to the security officials and now we are waiting for the action,” he informed The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2022.