Former PML-N MNA Anjum Aqeel Khan
ISLAMABAD:
After thinking they got off with a slap on the wrist, a number of influential figures including a former ruling party legislator are under the microscope again.
The Supreme Court has indicated that the management of NPF and former legislator of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Anjum Aqeel Khan were involved in illegal plot allotments.
While setting aside “tricky agreements”, the court on Thursday referred the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to investigate further and submit a report within 90 days.
In the judgment of its suo motu case, the court observed, “It is apparent from the record that NPF was established purely for the welfare of police officials, but the officers at the helm of affairs in the foundation allotted land worth billions of rupees at throwaway prices --- for Rs100 only to the ruling elite, including generals, bureaucrats, ambassadors, close relatives of top police officials and well-connected civilians.”
The plunder of a facility created for the welfare of police officials has been going on in sectors E-11 and I-9, which were purchased by the government-controlled NPF at nominal rates. “It has also been established on record that the privileged ones have gobbled everything,” the judgment stated.
“We are of the view that the foundation’s administration violated the purpose of establishing this charitable institution under the garb of generating funds and committed gross illegalities,” and it is “necessary to initiate proceedings against Khan and other responsible persons,” reads the judgment authored by Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry.
Successive managing directors of NPF have allotted plots to police officials not entitled to them and also to certain civilians and military officials who did not fall within the definition of the beneficiaries, it has been alleged.
“The NAB chairman has been directed to promptly initiate proceedings…so it may serve as a deterrent for likeminded people,” stated the judgment.
The court also set aside the controversial out-of-court settlement agreement between Khan and NPF and termed it another example of fraud as there is no mention of a finalisation or completion date.
The court’s judgment further states that the foundation’s board of directors, while establishing the housing scheme, did not fix criterion by making by-laws and conditions for allotment of plots. Instead, they were divided among their near and dear ones.
The court holds that the board, in connivance with the developer --- real estate firm Land Linkers, which Khan owns --- gave a colossal loss to the foundation with mala fide intention, which surfaced in the enquiry report of Zafar Ahmad Qureshi, a former bureaucrat, the judgment held.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2013.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
National Police Foundation (NFP) is located at two locations i.e. E-11 sector, and 0-9 sector (Lohi Bher).
In addition to deciding Mr. Anjum Aqeeel matter, the honorable court has also ordered that:
"All the plots, one, two or more than that which have been allotted illegally without entitlement to any person, whether police officials, employees of NPF, other government officials or the civilians, businessmen, etc or their dependents are thus cancelled forthwith," the verdict said.
The Judgment includes the list of 156 such plots along with the names of initial allottees that might be cancelled.
The issue is that the most of the initial allottees out of 156 in the list, have already sold the plots and in the consequence of cancellation of initial allotment of plots, the subsequent innocent bona fide purchasers who have purchased the plots through fourth and fifth buying/selling transaction at market rate over the period of more than two decades, can be deprived of their legal and hard earned property.
It is pertinent to mention that all the sale/purchase of plots and constructed houses were recorded in NPF on the pattern of Capital Development Authority (CDA) i.e. both buyer and seller were appeared before the director housing of NPF and transactions were recorded accordingly. Furthermore, all relevant charges including transfer fee, capital value tax etc are deposited according to law by the subsequent purchasers.
The subsequent purchasers have purchased plots for consideration at market value and most of them have constructed the houses and living there with families. Here I would like to further mention an important fact that houses were constructed after taking proper possession/title of the plots from the NPF and approval of map from NFP/CDA architects.
Current owners/ subsequent purchasers in NPF O-9 sector (Lohi Bher) are from middle class and cannot at all bear this loss, which has suddenly come as a shock after the judgment. Most of them have availed bank loans to buy plot or house and hardly managing the loan installments and such houses/plots are also mortgaged with different commercial banks.
During case proceeding, neither the NPF apprised the honorable court about their rights, neither the honorable court looked into this side while cancelling the plots of initial allottees. Subsequent purchasers came to know about cancellation of plots only after the judgment, whereas, notices were issued only to original allottees for defence.
While cancelling such plots, which already have been sold by the original allotees, the original allottees would not be harmed, but the subsequent bona fide purchasers will severely suffer
Hopefully, honorable court would look into this matter in larger public interest to avert the devastation that may cause to number of innocent families