ISLAMABAD: An open meeting to discuss land grabbing in the capital concluded with the constitution of special committees to investigate the practice following accusations that police and Islamabad capital territory (ICT) administration officials are also involved.

The meeting was chaired by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Waqaruddin Syed and Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat at the Kural police station and attended by superintendents of police, sub-divisional police officers and station house officers from the rural zone.

Accusations have been levelled at the police of helping land grabbers by not initiating legal action, including by not registering cases or if cases are registered by not arresting suspects, officials said.

They said capital administration officials, including from the revenue department, have been accused of helping and favouring land grabbers by not issuing reports, such as of ownership, and allegedly favouring and weakening cases in inquiries conducted by them.

Villagers from all over the capital attended the meeting and accused police and administration officials and occupying land, and submitted written complaints in this regard as well.

Officials added that the complaints received that inherited lands in the rural zone, which includes Sihala, Lohi Bher, Kural, Shahzad Town and Nilor — villages, government land and forest land — were occupied by the ‘land mafia’. They said land in the Nilor area had been at high risk for the last couple of years.

They added that some villages also accused two developers of land grabbing during the meeting.

The SSP and DC constituted several joint and separate investigation and inquiry committees, comprising police and administration officials, to investigate the allegations and asked for reports to be submitted within three days.

The committees were asked to inquire and prepare reports on land grabbing cases and action taken by police and the administration. Officials said details of suspects nominated in the cases, and those arrested or investigated, have also been sought.

Mr Syed and Mr Shafqaat assured the complainants that action would be taken against officials found involved in violating merit and depriving anyone of their land, the officials said.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2018