MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government on Tuesday replaced a key official of the Mirpur Development Authority (MDA), who had lodged an FIR against 60 unidentified members of the District Bar Association (DBA) Mirpur last week.

According to an official notification, MDA In-charge Director Estate Imran Shaheen was repatriated and attached with the Services and General Administration Department as officer on special duty.

Deputy Secretary Home Department Nadeem Ahmed Janjua replaced Mr Shaheen as MDA director estate.

A group of lawyers had last Thursday staged a protest against Mr Shaheen and accused him of “committing corruption and creating hurdles in the allotment of plots” to them.

According to a senior police official, the lawyer had tried to forcibly enter the MDA building during the protest and broke some windows in the process.

The lawyers were later assured by Divisional Commissioner Zafar Mehmood that he will convey their demands to the government, which included the removal of Mr Shaheen from service and an inquiry into the allotments made during the last ten years.

The MDA has often been accused of favouritism and corruption in the allotment of plots and of serving as a “goldmine” for successive governments and its employees, whether they are permanent or on deputation.

Successive governments have appointed favoured officers on the top MDA posts, allegedly after being offered monetary benefits.

Since the installation of the PML-N government in July last year, the Mirpur divisional commissioner has been holding charge as MDA director general.

According to a Mirpur based civil society activist Bilal Rafiq, the former Mirpur commissioner Raja Amjad Pervaiz Ali Khan had allegedly promised some 138 plots to members of the Mirpur DBA in his capacity as MDA chief. Mr Khan was recently appointed secretary to the government for trade and industry.

On the other hand, Mr Shaheen maintains that despite the approval, a final decision on the matter can only be taken by the allotment committee, Mr Rafique said.

The DBA has been boycotting judicial work since.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2017