Mega-land scam: Issue prompts reshuffling in G-B admin

A number of changes in the top bureaucracy of G-B following the uncovering of a mega land scam.

GILGIT: A number of changes in the top bureaucracy of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) were made on Sunday following the uncovering of a mega land scam that shook the regional government. Diamer district’s Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sibtain Ahmed has been posted out and directed to report to Services and General Administration. Ghizer DC Shozaib Saeed has been posted to Diamer as DC, while Astore DC has also been posted out. Similarly, Skardu DC has been posted to Gilgit as DC, while Fazal Khaliq has been made Skardu DC. Allegations of the scam surfaced on Saturday, when well-placed sources in the government alleged that the assistant commissioner of Diamer, a magistrate and two assistant magistrates allegedly prepared a forged awards list of over Rs3 billion for barren lands in Thore Valley, which is likely to be submerged due to the construction of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The officials received over Rs100 million in kickbacks besides timber worth billion of rupees, the officials said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2012.