FAISALABAD: Former chairman of the Faisalabad Development Authority governing body Dr Asad Moazzam, also a leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, has accused his own party MNA Faizullah Kamoka and FDA former director general of committing billions of rupees corruption and backing private colonies developers.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Dr Moazzam said a private housing colony -- Al Rehmat Villas -- had sold all plots without getting the FDA’s approval and the ruling party MNA had forced the FDA to accept its file a couple of weeks ago.

The private colony is developing its extensions and the authority’s Board of Governor (BoG) members raided the colony’s office over alleged illegalities.

He said the MNA also owned private colonies and had even sold the state-owned drains falling in the limits of his colony.

He alleged the MNA had also been pressurising the FDA for approval of his colony -- Al Barkat Villas -- which he had established in 2005 when he was a member of the provincial assembly. The MNA, he said, did not abide by any rules and regulations while developing his colony and tried to get its land classification converted from “green area” to “brown area”.

Dr Moazzam said Punjab chief minister had been apprised of the entire issue through a letter, but he (the CM) instead of taking action against corrupt elements not only removed him (Dr Moazzam) from the post of chairman four days after dispatch of the letter, but also misinformed Prime Minister Imran Khan about the situation.

The chief minister had removed Dr Moazzam a couple of days ago following a tussle between him and the former director general of the FDA, Aamir Aziz, over the issue of private housing colonies approval.

He alleged that more than 500 private housing colonies in Faisalabad were illegal and he had informed the chief minister about it.

He said banners had been displayed against him in different parts of the city when he had tried to highlight the corruption of “FDA mafia” as the former DG was patronising the private developers.

Dr Moazzam alleged a private colony--Park View Housing Society-- obtained passage from the state land and that the former DG had been running property business with the help of private realtors who owned that colony.

“I have been asked repeatedly by the Punjab government to reconcile with the former DG, but I refused to compromise on my principles,” he added.

Former FDA DG Aamir Aziz denied the allegations and said he was also removed from the DG slot a couple of days following the tussle with Dr Moazzam.

Dr Moazzam also alleged that the record of kutchi abadis was deliberately burnt in connivance with some FDA staffers and the provincial secretary concerned had ordered a probe into the issue.

Without quoting any name, he said relatives of an influential personality, after receiving bribe got him removed from the post and the “prime minister was well aware of the entire issue”.

MNA Kamoka did not respond to phone calls and messages for his comment.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2019