Tall claims: LG minister vows to free govt land from mafia

The minister evicted land grabbers from a KMC property in Clifton on Thursday

KARACHI: Sindh minister for local government Nasir Shah directed the officials of his department to conduct a survey of the department's land and buildings and submit a report to him so that action may be taken against the land mafia who has occupied the government properties.   He gave these directions while evicting land grabbers from a KMC bungalow located in Clifton.  "This bungalow was once under the use of government officials and the Karachi naib nazims, Nasreen Jalil and Tariq Hassan, but unfortunately, some people tampered the lease records and occupied it," he said.

The minister, who was flanked by the commissioner and administrator of Karachi, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, municipal commissioner and senior director of municipal services, Masood Alam, directed the officials to form a committee to look into the matter and submit a report regarding the government land and properties occupied by the mafia.

Read: Rain talk: CM wants removal of encroachments from storm drains



Speaking about encroachments on amenity plots, he said: "I will not succumb to any pressure and will demolish all the encroachments, including illegal marriage halls and offices built on sports grounds that have now been commercialised." He also asked the officials to expedite the cleanliness drive of drain storms.

Read: Illegal occupation: KMC removes encroachments

Commenting on the local government elections, the minister said that polls could be delayed by a month or two, but this was election year. "The local government elections will be held by the end of this year, come what may," he said, adding that it was the election commission that had requested the Supreme Court to postpone the same by one month due to the floods and heavy rains in Sindh and Punjab.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.