KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly on Wednesday carried out a very important legislation passing a government bill ‘The cancellation of bogus entries (in the record of rights) of Government Land Bill-2009.’

The bill was taken by Law Minister Mohammed Ayaz Soomro and after discussion on general principles of the bill it was passed unanimously.

The bill provides for the cancellation of bogus entries made in the record of rights relating to government land on the basis of forged documents or in violation of law.

Speaking on the general principles of the bill, Law Minister Mohammed Ayaz Soomro said that massive bogus entries had been made in the record of rights relating to government land and had caused wrongful loss to the Sindh Government by depriving thousands of acres of its valuable land and, therefore, it was expedient to enact a law to cancel the bogus entries and this bill seeks to achieve this object.

Taking part in the discussion on general principles of the bill, the Provincial Minister Katchi Abadis Rafiq Engineer said that in the past the record of rights were burnt during MRD Movement in 1998 and then in 2007 to cover up the illegalities committed by making bogus entries and those responsible for it got land of poor farmers transferred in their names.

He said big fish usurped government land and caused losses to government exchequer. He said the bill would provide justice to poor farmers and expose the looters. He also felicitated Revenue Minister Jam Mehtab Daher for introducing the bill.

Haji Munawar Ali Abbasi described the bill as need of the hour and said it relates to cases of post 1985 period while a lot of land was usurped in pre-1985 period as well through bogus entries.

Humera Alvani said this bill will prove beneficial for those who lands were usurped through bogus entries made after 1985 and these would include the forest and katcha area lands.

Syed Bachal Shah said this bill was direly needed for rural areas of Sindh. He held Tapedars and Mukhtiarkars responsible for making bogus entries and said there had been no one to hold them accountable for their corruption.

Pointing out that bogus entries used to be made in the wake of non-availability of record, he said that at the outset the available record should be computerised.

Anwar Maher said that government property used to be considered something which anybody could have usurped. He said that in order to check massive corruption, the bill will have to be enforced with all strictness.

Jam Tamachi Unnar said that first the record of rights should be computerised otherwise a Pandora box will open and there would be massive litigation.

Syed Sardar Ahmed that later another bill for private land will also be brought in the assembly so that the land of private owners is also made protected.

He said a lot of bogus entries were made after 1985 but action on bogus entries made before 1985 can also be taken under Land Revenue Act.

Winding up the discussion on general principles of the bill, Provincial Revenue Minister Jam Mehtab Daher thanked the house for its unconditional support for the bill and admitted that the Revenue Department was involved in making the bogus entries whereby hundreds of thousands of acres of government land was usurped, particularly during the previous period when the Revenue Department was devolved.

The minister said that not only Tapedars and Mukhtiarkars but many others were also involved in making bogus entries. He recalled how the Revenue record was burnt in an organised manner after the death of Benazir Bhutto.

He referred to his visit to Thatta where he said he ordered the seizure of records and ordered an inquiry with submission of report in one week.

He urged the ‘friends’ to come forward, identify such cases where government land was usurped through bogus entries and assured that action would be taken after proper inquiry.

Jam Mehtab told the house that record of rights will soon be computerised to eliminate the menace.

‘We want to work against mafia on war footing,’ he announced and said he is also establishing a complaint center.

He said he has issued orders that if a Tapedar does not provide records in a week, he would take action against him.

After the discussion on general principles of the bill was over, it was taken up clause by clause and passed into law amidst thumping of desks.—APP