KARACHI: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has registered an FIR against former Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) officials and others in Nasla Tower case, it emerged on Thursday.

The FIR has been lodged on behalf of state by Inspector Zahid Husain Mirani of the ACE against officials of the SBCA and its master plan department (MPGO) and SMCHS office-bearers and members under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and other laws.

According to the contents of the FIR viewed by Dawn, a preliminary inquiry was initiated on a directive of Supreme Court. During the course of inquiry, relevant documents from the SMCHS, SBCA, Mukhtiarkar of Jamshed and Ferozabad, KMC and MPGO were secured and statements of witnesses were also recorded.

Citing the inquiry report, the FIR said that the management of SMCHS in connivance with Muzamil Amin Darzi, the owner/attorney of the plot in question, issued letters for allotment of extra land of 264 square yards (meant for amenity/service road) in the year 2006-07 and forwarded the matter to the MPGO for conversion of land use from residential to commercial for 1,044 square yards without proper title documents of the plot (sub-lease of plot was only for 780 square yards).

“On the basis of such increase, Mukhtiarkar Jamshed Town Khair Mohammed Dahri kept illegal entry,” it said.

The FIR said that subsequently, in the year 2010, another extra piece of land measuring 77 square yards was allowed and such matter was referred to the MPGO for conversion from residential to commercial for 1,121 square yards.

The ACE in its FIR has nominated 21 suspects. They include the then SBCA directors general Manzoor Qadir Kaka and Ashkar Dawar; the then EDO (MPGO) Wilayat Ali Data, ex-director Ali Mehdi Kazmi; SMCHS chairman Galib Mansoor, honorary secretary Naveed Bashir and members Islam A. Khan, Mohammed Asif and Younas Hashim.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2022