LAHORE: The Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) has removed its official following complaints of illegal occupation of the land of a temple and other properties of the board in Sargodha.

“On account of numerous complaints received in various properties concerning issues regarding corruption and malpractices committed resulting a bad name to the department – Sohail Ahmad (rent collector/LDC) office of ETPB Sargodha is relieved of his duties forthwith and directed to report to the board’s secretary for further order.

“The assistant commissioner ETPB Sargodha is directed to submit a detailed report of such cases and property matters wherein the said official committed illegalities and corrupt practices within a week so that disciplinary action is initiated against him,” an order of the ETPB said on Wednesday.

Earlier, PPP senior leader Nadeem Afzal Chan, in a video post on his X account, had alleged that the land of the temple in Bhalwal had been illegally occupied at the behest of a top bureaucrat of the Maryam Nawaz administration.

He also alleged that not only this land of the ETPB but the other ones in Bhera and Kot Momin (Sargodha) had also been illegally occupied by the nephews of that bureaucrat. The ETPB’s role remained dubious in the matter as questions are being asked how come illegal construction on the temple’s land was made possible.

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025