HYDERABAD: Matiari Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Yousif Shaikh has re-started the process of land acquisition in the district for the National Highway Authority to resume construction of Hyderabad-Sukkur (M6) section of motorway.

The process was abruptly suspended following a mega scam unearthed in November 2022, when an amount of around Rs1.86 billion, out of nearly over Rs4.1 billion released by the NHA for Matiari lands alone was found to have been embezzled.

The scam had led to the arrest of then DC Adnan Rasheed, Saeedabad assistant commissioner Mansoor Abbasi, some Sindh Bank officers and several other alleged accomplices.

The NHA had also released funds for land acquisition in Naushahro Feroze and it had emerged that similar embezzlement had been resorted to by stakeholders there as well.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed a joint reference of Rs5.8bn in Hyderabad’s Accountability Court, where it is being heard.

Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench had granted bail to four prime accused mentioned in the reference.

DC Shaikh is leading the revived process of land acquisition in his district under the supervision of Hyderabad Commissioner Bilal Memon.

The DC has estimated funds requirement in the land acquisition process. According to him, around Rs2.582bn, Rs1.134bn and Rs1.191bn had to be paid to owners against land acquisition in Matiari, Hala and Saeedabad talukas, respectively. An amount of a little over Rs2.427bn is available with Matiari’s DAO (district accounts officer).

Out of the Rs2.582bn meant for Matiari taluka’s lands, a total of over Rs553m had already been paid to 23 khatedars (small landowners) ‘in cash’ against their 86 acres.

“Their land acquisition amount and claims for damages [loss of crops, tubewells, structures, trees etc on the acquired land] are being verified and if any excess amount was paid to anyone, the same will be recovered,” said Mr Shaikh.

The DC is said to have obtained affidavits and other necessary documents relating to the amount paid to these khatedars by the then administration without completing proceedings under Section 9 and 11 of the Land Acquisition Act (LAA).

His assessment shows that after deducting Rs553,766,886 (already paid to khatedars in cash sans mandatory process) over Rs2.208bn (Rs2,028,723,114 to be exact) would have to be paid to the remaining khatedars to complete the land acquisition process in Matiari taluka.

According to the DC, the NHA has to provide Rs1,542,679,947 (over Rs1.542bn) more for the acquisition of 1,629 acres in the entire district. The Authority has been conveyed this, the DC said while referring to his July correspondence with the NHA.

He held out the assurance that the entire process would be transparent and all those concerned would be informed about it.

He has urged the NHA to “start construction work in Matiari taluka as the land is ready for possession”.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2024