December 04, 2007	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 23, 1428

LAYYAH, Dec 3: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has registered a case against the district officer revenue (DOR) and other officials for their involvement in illegal allotment of commercial urban land.

Reports said the Thal Development Authority (TDA), Layyah, had allocated 1,825 acres of land on Sept 30, 1960 for a colony. The land was transferred to the housing and physical planning department through notification No F20 (4) H& S-70 on March 2, 1971. The housing department made payment to the tune of Rs229 million to TDA in 1976. The Layyah revenue department had entered mutation in favour of the housing department on Jan 3, 1985.

The housing department reserved the land for welfare of society by planning schemes like educational institutions, a hospital, a grain market, a community centre, and residential colonies.

On Oct 19, 2006, DOR Muhammad Amil Shah passed an adjustment order for transfer of 10 acres of land worth Rs450 million from this property bearing Khasara No 150/6/5, 151/6, 167/10-9, 168/1-2-3-4-7-8-9-10 and 169/1-2-3-4-5 to Muhammad Hayat Kalya on `political pressure.’ For this purpose no approval from the competent authority was obtained.

According to the policy of the Punjab board of revenue, the government land cannot be transferred to any department or a third party without the orders of the competent authority.

ACE circle officer Jalil Imran Khan held preliminary investigation and had submitted a report to divisional directorate on July 8, 2007.

On Dec 1, the ACE Multan additional director got a case registered against DOR Muhammad Amil Shah, naib tehsildar Ghulam Bakir Khan, gardawar Manzoor Shakir, patwaris Abdul Razzaq and Muhammad Khan, head clerk (colony department) Safdar Khan, adjustment clerk Khadim Husain of revenue department and private persons, Muhammad Hayat Kalya, Sadan Mai and Sakina Mai.