ISLAMABAD: A criminal case has been registered against a leading property tycoon and his son as well as land grabbers, for occupying hundreds of kanals, according to the police and the victim.

The case was registered after law enforcement officials were directed by the lower courts to do so, after the victim approached the courts.

According to the FIR, registered with the Nilor police, a complaint was filed for the registration of a case against “owner of Bahria Town Malik Riaz, CEO Bahria Town Ali Riaz and other land grabbers”.

The FIR was registered on the charges of PPC sections 389 – putting person in fear of accusation of offence in order to commit extortion, 148 – rioting, armed with deadly weapon, 149 – every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object, 420 – cheating and dishonesty, 427 – mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs50, 452 – house trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint, and 109 – punishment of abetment if the act abetted committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment.

The complainant, Nisar Ahmed, told Dawn he had purchased 506 kanals of land in Mauza Tamir, which was grabbed by individuals working for Malik Riaz in 2012. He said since then he has approached a then senior superintendent of police, the Islamabad High Court and the interior minister, but to no avail.

Although he said he got his land back in 2012, he received phone calls from Malik Riaz and a threat from Taji Khokhar about implicating him in a murder case.

Mr Ahmed said he agreed to sell his land to the land developer out of fear. At the time, the value of the land was Rs2 million per kanal, and he was offered Rs350,000 per kanal.

He said according to an agreement made in 2013, he was to be paid Rs20 million as a token sum in eight installments over a period of eight months, when he did not receive.

Mr Ahmed said he then approached the district and sessions court two weeks ago and submitted an application seeking orders for the police to register a case.

“I deliberately avoided mentioning the names of Taji Khokhar and Nawaz Khokhar in the complaint out of fear for my life and my family’s safety,” he added.

Yasin Khokhar, who deals with the media on the behalf of the Khokhars, denied the allegation saying Taji Khokhar has been in prison since 2012.

Bahria Town spokesperson Nida Zahoor was unavailable for comments despite repeated calls and SMS messages.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2016