MUZAFFARGARH: More than 800 cases of land and 42 mauzas of Muzaffargarh and Layyah districts have been pending with the collector of consolidation for the last many years.

The collector office has been vacant since Feb 22 after collector Malik Nasir Awan was transferred and posted district monitoring officer in Muzaffargarh. Mr Awan, however, moved the services tribunal against the transfer, sources said.

Since Feb 22, land owners visit the office every Monday, the day fixed for case hearings, but they are given a next date of hearing.

Officials said in Muzaffargarh and Layyah districts, 800 land-related cases have been under the process of consolidation for.the last six years. Mr Awan used to visit the office only on Mondays.

This Monday, land owners Sardar Munno Khan and others alleged that they have been visiting the office for over one year but Collector Awan hardly heard any case. They said when they tried to shift their cases to Layyah and Dera Ghazi Khan courts, he sat on files and told his subordinates not to send cases to Layyah or Dera Ghazi Khan.

Many litigants said their cases had been pending for the last three decades. They appealed to Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and his media coordinator Shahbaz Gill to look into the situation.

Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner Tahir Khursheed said he was looking into the matter and soon the district consolidation issue would be resolved.

Up 42 mauzas have been occupied by politicians and land grabbers. Mr Awan did not attend the call.

Published in Dawn, April 09th, 2019