Revenue official killed by ‘land grabbers’

Mukhtiarkar’s vehicle came under fire during anti-encroachment drive

KARACHI:

An official of Sindh Board of Revenue was allegedly targeted by land grabbers in the precincts of Surjani police station on Monday.

Mukhtiarkar Aijaz Ahmed Chandio was on his way with an anti-encroachment team towards Rozi Goth when armed men opened fire on his vehicle.

A member of the anti-encroachment team present at the scene told The Express Tribune that the land grabbers first threw stones. "The police force fled from the scene leaving Chandio and another officer behind," he said. "The vehicle of the officer got stuck in the crowd when the suspects came close and opened straight fire on Chandio," he said.

Taking notice of the murder of a senior officer by the land grabbers, Sindh Chief Minister has asked Karachi commissioner to submit a report of the incident. He has also directed city police AIG Odho to immediately arrest the culprits involved in the attack.

A senior officer of the revenue department told The Express Tribune that Board of Revenue officers had no idea if the land grabbers could attack them indiscriminately.

Sources said that the officers after speaking with the land grabbers started demolishing the under constructing shop on the plot. "The mafia opened fire on the team injuring at least three persons including Chandio," he said. "The police force with the anti-encroachment team fled from the scene," he claimed, adding that a local resident called a rescue service to transport the body to hospital.

Talking to the media outside JPMC, Deputy Commissioner West Sadia Jaffar said police did not support her department's officers. "We are not supposed to fight armed land grabbers," she said.

Jaffar said, "Our team had gone to retrieve 1,000 square feet of land belonging to Saylani Trust, a charitable organisation."

Speaking to The Express Tribune, SSP West Faisal Bashir Memon said that some 30 to 40 men attacked the anti-encroachment team. He said that the revenue officers were accompanied by a police mobile and four motorcycles from the local police station. "The officers were demolishing the shop when they came under fire," he explained.

No FIR was registered till filing of this news. Meanwhile, All Sindh Revenue Employees Association President Syed Sardar Ali Shah said they will observe a strike in reaction to the fatal attack in Surjani Town. The association condemned the killing of Mukhtiarkar Aijaz Chandio and urged all mukhtiarkars in Sindh to dispatch their leave applications to Sindh Chief Secretary as a token protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2022.