Land dispute: Sindh approves 10 acres of land in Karachi for intelligence agency

At the same time, govt unwilling to transfer 350 acres of land to PAF in Karachi for residential purposes

ISLAMABAD:

Authorities in Sindh have approved the transfer of 10 acres of land to a sensitive agency in Karachi West for strategic purposes, a provincial government official revealed to The Express Tribune.

But at the same time the official said the government is still unwilling to transfer 350 acres of land to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in Karachi for residential purposes.

The counsel for the agency and the PAF, Raja Muhammad Irshad, confirmed that Sindh had allotted 10 acres of land to the spy agency but was still unwilling to transfer 350 acres of land to the PAF.

“The Supreme Court’s order is clear that the land can be transferred to PAF and if the provincial government refuses to do so then relevant authorities are liable to initiate contempt proceedings against them,” he said.

The Express Tribune has learnt that the PAF is likely to approach the apex court after the Muharram holidays to challenge the provincial revenue department’s decision not to transfer the land to it.

On July 2, SC’s five-judge bench had taken up the review petition seeking the transfer of land from the Sindh government. Similarly, the PAF had also approached the court.

During the hearing, Sindh Revenue Department’s counsel Ahmar Peerzada stated that if the court reviewed its restraining order regarding the allotment of state land, then the provincial government had no objection to the transfer of land.

The bench observed there was no bar on transfer of land for state purposes, saying “Revenue authorities shall be free to enter transaction and mutation for state property.”

The agency’s counsel, however, said, “I have still not received any instruction in the matter related to the PAF.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2014.