KARACHI, July 8: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that land encroachment is illegal under a new law and the government will set an example by getting its encroached land vacated by the mafia.

He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of $12 million phase-II project of the Universal Tractor Pakistan in the Port Qasim area here on Friday.

“The parliament has passed the bill against land grabbing and the president has singed it to make it a law. Now it is the responsibility of provinces to enforce it,” he said.

Mr Aziz said provinces had to enforce the law in their jurisdictions and put an end to land grabbing. He asked the Sindh governor and chief minister to get state-owned encroached land vacated.

He said it was unfortunate that influential people grabbed the land of the weak and more influential people encroached upon the land of less influential people. “Keeping the land vacant while investors are seeking plots for setting up industries is unfair. It is loss of the nation. It is a loss of Pakistan,” the prime minister said.

He said the government would computerize land record all over the country to ensure that land was not encroached upon by the mafia.

“We will not allow land grabbing. We will set an example by getting encroached land vacated and punishing land grabbers,” he said.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim were also present.—-APP