RAHIM YAR KHAN: Chairman Municipal Committee (MC) Mian Ijaz Aamir wants to auction the shops on precious state land to his ‘blue-eyed’ councillors at nominal rates, alleges a group of opposition members at a press conference.
Opposition leader Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf along with Muhammad Ali and eight other councillors told reporters on Saturday that [on Tuesday last] when Mr Ali pointed out that councillor Azeem Solangi could not chair the MC session because of incomplete quorum, vice chairman Abdul Latif Bhatti, councillors Abdul Waheed Bhatti, Umar Hameed and Alam Khan allegedly thrashed Mr Ali.
They said during the ‘illegal’ session the opposition members protested against the plan to auction dozens of prime location shops to some [treasury] councillors.
They said Mr Aamir and his companions were already facing cases in National Accountability Bureau. They alleged that the chairman was promoting politics of biradrism whereas he should focus on the worst sanitation conditions in the city and address other civic problems. They said they would soon expose the corruption allegedly committed by a councillor in a matter of fruit and vegetable market.
Chairman Mian Ijaz Aamir did not attend the repeated calls.
URBAN PROPERTIES: The official process for registration and transfer of immovable urban properties has been suspended for the last 10 days at sub-registrar offices in four tehsils of the district following ‘wrong’ interpretation of the Supreme Court order.
The district administration, including revenue officials, could not understand the order as a result sub-registrars stopped the registration of sale deeds which caused losses to the exchequer.
The SC issued a short order on Jan 3, 2019 about a human rights case No.69229-P/2018 in the matter regarding functioning of patwaris, kanungos and tehsildars in urban area. In the light of the order, the Punjab Board of Revenue (BoR) wrote a letter [No.28-2019/81-LR II Land Revenue Branch BoR, Lahore dated 30-01-2019] to all commissioners, deputy commissioners and assistant commissioners directing them to ensure compliance of the order.
According to a senior lawyer, Muhammad Farooq Warind, the short order says that the [sale] transactions be conducted through registered sale deeds within urban areas. But contrary to that the registrars stopped entertaining sale deeds for registration as a result dozens of property sellers and buyers were facing problems.
The cell phone of Additional District Commissioner (Revenue) Dr Jahanzeb Hussain was found switched off. However, Assistant Commissioner Aitzaz Anjum termed the court order ambiguous, saying the final version would be released by ADC(R).
Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2019
