Nawaz illegally allotted Pakpattan shrine land as Punjab CM in 1986, JIT concludes

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Nawaz illegally allotted Pakpattan shrine land as Punjab CM in 1986, JIT concludes

Haseeb Bhatti Published January 15, 2019

Former premier Nawaz Sharif is accused of allotting land in violation of a high court order. — File photo

A joint investigation team (JIT) on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that ousted premier Nawaz Sharif had illegally allotted 14,398 acres of Waqf property attached to the shrine of Hazrat Baba Farid-ud-Din Masud Ganj Shakar in Pakpattan to Dewan Ghulam Qutab during his tenure as Punjab chief minister in 1986.

Sharif has been accused of illegally allotting the shrine's land during his tenure as chief minister in violation of a high court order after ordering the withdrawal of a notification dated Dec 17, 1969.

The SC-mandated JIT formed to probe the allegations against Sharif submitted a report on its findings during today's hearing.

Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Director General Hussain Asghar, who was heading the JIT, told the court that Sharif had, in addition to the Pakpattan shrine land, allotted land in Hujra Shah Muqeem along with that of the shrine of Hafiz Jamalullah Multani.

Know more about the ToRs finalised for Pakpattan land probe

Asghar told the court that an investigation report prepared in 2015 had held the then chief minister responsible. However, the chief minister's name was excluded in a second report that was submitted in 2016. The JIT, concluding that then chief minister did not have the authority to transfer the land, recommended that that land be retrieved and criminal proceedings be initiated against Sharif, then secretary to chief minister Syed Javed Iqbal Bukhari, the legal heirs of Deewan Ghulam Qutub Din, assistant administrator of Auqaf Pakpattan during 1969 and 1986 as well as the patwaris of the area "where these irregularities and illegalities were committed".

Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar who was heading the three-member bench hearing the case today said that "times have changed and a third report will not be prepared".

"Why was this land allotted illegally?" the chief justice inquired, warning that "no one will be able to escape if an investigation is launched".

Sharif's counsel Barrister Munawar Iqbal said that the former premier had rejected the allegations earlier.

"You're playing the role of [the person] more loyal to the king than the king himself," Justice Nisar remarked. "We may order the Anti-Corruption Establishment to file a complaint."

The chief justice ordered the Punjab government and Nawaz Sharif to submit a response to the JIT report within two weeks. The hearing was adjourned until next week.

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Nadeem Yousuf

Jan 15, 2019 03:09pm

How can in decades old cases related to Nawaz Shareef : authorities can find the evidence, whereas in other cases where other people are involved such as Chaudry Brothers, there is no evidence as 20 years have passed!

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Arif Godil

Jan 15, 2019 03:10pm

Revolutionary power in the hands of competant and corruption free government is the solution. How can these two big corrupt mafias be free when there is so much of material against them. The consistution does not lead us anywhere.

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bhaRAT©

Jan 15, 2019 03:17pm

This is tip of the iceberg. He has done far more worse than this.

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Amer

Jan 15, 2019 03:19pm

What a joke.... we are wasting our time on non issues.

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Pakistan First

Jan 15, 2019 03:24pm

@Amer, this is how they want to keep the game going. AS PER THE DEFINED AGENDA. Well I am not in favor of any of the parties involved in this JIT game.

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Aak

Jan 15, 2019 03:28pm

@Amer, what joke...these are serious allegations and if true those responsible should be punished as per law

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Behram

Jan 15, 2019 03:31pm

@Amer, non issues seriously? Your countries land is being grabbed illegally, it’s a non issue?

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Jan 15, 2019 03:40pm

They look so desperate to find anything against NS. Its all becoming so obvious. Sad

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Najeeb Rohilla

Jan 15, 2019 03:44pm

Our investigating dept have evidances regarding some 1986 event, but info is available for asghar khan case.

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Sixerr from chakwal

Jan 15, 2019 04:01pm

@Amer, 14,398 acres land is a non-issue, I just want one kanal please

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Anti-Corruption_Pakistani

Jan 15, 2019 04:02pm

Another conclusive JIT report against Nawaz Sharif and yet, despite all proven convictions and sentences he is still trying NRO (through different means). What a joke, accused and convicted corrupt politicians are freely making controversial statements and no severe actions are taken - this is mind boggling, disgraceful and unacceptable.

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Usman

Jan 15, 2019 04:10pm

Another 'tool' to control MNS for years ahead!

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Shampee

Jan 15, 2019 04:16pm

why to waste taxpayers money on such cases and we know the final outcome.

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Baloch

Jan 15, 2019 04:17pm

What a joke!

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Tariq Mahmood

Jan 15, 2019 04:18pm

illegal allotment of 14,398 acres is a 'non issue'? Which planet are you from?

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AQib

Jan 15, 2019 04:39pm

@Amer, 14000 acres of land worth billions is a non issue. good going

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Aamir

Jan 15, 2019 04:45pm

1986? It seems politically victimization of NS!

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Azhar Ali

Jan 15, 2019 04:48pm

Time for action. Words alone are not enough.

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Haris

Jan 15, 2019 04:55pm

Pakistan would be making 30 billion usd annually had NS not done that???

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Jan 15, 2019 05:01pm

These are major issues of Pakistan, we immediately need land reforms without further delay......no exception, no one should be allowed more than 10 acres of land and all these evils will disappear overnight.

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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Jan 15, 2019 05:14pm

Once a cheater, always a fraudster as old habits die hard.

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ajmal

Jan 15, 2019 05:19pm

All these cases are circling around NAB JIT and the court and nothing to do with the parliament and Imran khan.How come some how opposition are making Imran Khan responsible for their past horrible deeds.

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LAHORI KID

Jan 15, 2019 05:27pm

@Nadeem Yousuf, Read it again, the report was made in 2015, in 2016, the name of the Chief Minister was removed, for reasons we all know. Guess who was in power in 2015 and 2016? PML-N.

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Shehzaad

Jan 15, 2019 05:50pm

@Aak, No he should be granted bail....

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Preface

Jan 15, 2019 06:10pm

No surprise there. They have looted the country with impunity.

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Khan

Jan 15, 2019 06:22pm

Corrupt to the core

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Akhtar Husain

Jan 15, 2019 06:34pm

The Govt should try to compete PML-N on developmental issues. Try to complete by building dams, greater power stations and communication networks and making Rupee and stock market stronger than PML-N era. If Govt can’t do it, then let those people do who can do it. Putting a few industrialists in jail won’t help raise GDP of our country. The whole nation is waiting for results and not blame game.

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Haal

Jan 15, 2019 06:45pm

Nawaz Sharif was the only one who did something wrong in the 1980's. Stop this joke please. Selective justice is injustice and we can see through it.

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Abdul Majid

Jan 15, 2019 07:22pm

JIT seems to be all powerful with everything under the sky agenda. I am sure the present group have relied on all the previous reports prepared by all sorts of people and now presented to unearth every single mistake or lapses. Is this principle applicable to all PAKISTANIS? For an ordinary citizen who is not a politician but only interested in the welfare and prosperity of the country, this is going too far. Let us give this accountability an air of fairness to all and save tax payers money by avoiding expensive exercises.

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Abdul Majid

Jan 15, 2019 07:25pm

I think all those responsible for obeying and implementig illegal orders must also be brought to the book.

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Sid

Jan 15, 2019 07:43pm

This just shows - no matter how old your crime, justice will find you

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Aamir

Jan 15, 2019 09:35pm

NS also allocated a plot to Shukat Khanum Hospital!

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Zafar ahmed

Jan 15, 2019 09:41pm

He also allotted expansive plot to Qadri in model town. He fixed quota for patwarees, school teachers, ASI's, custom inspectors and even constable in police for each MPA, MNA's to make them happy. So all the police, our most of the departments are the product of nepotism thats why the deterioration is all there in most of the govt departments.

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Hameed

Jan 15, 2019 10:07pm

@Aamir, Time doesn't matter when former PM is involved. How much much your received from Nawaz Sharif.?

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Saif Zulfiqar

Jan 15, 2019 10:26pm

Sharffs have not done a single thing legally throught their rule.

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Kamran Ali

Jan 15, 2019 11:28pm

The FIA has become an obsolete in an era of JITs. I think the CJP should form anther JIT before his retirement to investigate Asghar Khan Case wherin the FIA showed its inability to trace the record back to 1990. If the JIT could go back to 1986 then it will be easy for it to reach 1990 and get the culprits behind the bar.

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Jan 16, 2019 01:09am

LOL.. Panama papers & avenfield are not sufficient !!

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Akil Akhtar

Jan 16, 2019 03:49am

Sadly we still have many people supporting this corrupt person........signs of a nation in moral decadence...

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Syed Rehan

Jan 16, 2019 05:36am

We have precedence where courts allowed Bani gala and Hyatt luxury apartments to be regularized. Current PM has shares in both places. So Nawaz Sharif should also be let go.

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Fazal Karim

Jan 16, 2019 06:50am

What is present status of 14000 acres of Waqf land released to Dewan Ghulam Qutub? Not only the land be recovered but also money he has earned so far. I am sure he paid no income tax.

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Kashif Sekha

Jan 16, 2019 10:08am

Keep on gathering more and more corruption aa day by. But what is the result at the end of the day. NOT GUILTY. The reason Justice prevails differently for poor and rich. For powerful and weak. People have to go on suffering for ever. Not a single example of conviction sentence and recovery has come to the knowledge of people..where is Nya Pakistan where is Tabdily My appeal to people to depend on false promises.

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Shib

Jan 16, 2019 01:35pm

@HA, Do you still think so...that no one cannot help.....

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