ISLAMABAD, Sept 17: A Senate body on Wednesday observed that the illegal occupation of railway land only takes place with the connivance of the government functionaries.

The sub-committee of the Senate standing committee on railways said lack of coordination among different tiers of government seemed to be the main hurdle in the resettlement of katchi abadis and grant of ownership rights to the dwellers of these settlements established on the land of Pakistan Railways in Punjab. It called for greater interaction among the federal and provincial government functionaries for the speedy resolution of people’s problems. “Had there existed a proper liaison between Pakistan Railways and the provincial authorities, the issue would have been settled long ago,” remarked the convener Senator Abdul Ghaffar Qureshi. Senator Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai was also present in the meeting.

Senator Qureshi regretted that the directorate general of katchi abadis Punjab has now raised the issue that as per revenue record the land belonged to the provincial government and as such they cannot deposit the cost of land in the account of Pakistan Railways.

He directed the authorities to ensure that the issue of land ownership was resolved on a priority basis. The representative of the ministry of railways said Pakistan Railways always remained a federal government subject except for a brief period when it was turned into Pakistan Western Railways and Pakistan Eastern Railways and the ownership of land at that time was transferred to the provincial governments. He assured the Senate body that the issue would be taken up at the appropriate level to get necessary correction incorporated in the revenue record. Regarding the sharing of proceeds of the Railways land, he said as per the federal cabinet’s decision the formula of 60:40 was only applicable on such pieces of land which were to be disposed of by the Railways for commercial exploitation and that it was not meant for regularisation of katchi abadis.