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FAISALABAD, Dec 21: The Pakistan Railways has leased out its 22.2 kanals land situated in the heart of the city through a shoddy deal to an influential person for 30 years against a 'one-time advance' Rs1.2 million.
According to the agreement, the land was given on lease on May 27, 2003 for a period of 30 years, that is till May 26, 2033. The term of the lease may be extended with the mutual consent of the parties.
It is learnt here on Tuesday that the lease agreement had been signed between the "President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Sheikh Muhammad Afzal Rahim s/o Malik Muhammad Sharif." The possession of the land had also been given to the party.
The land is situated along the Sarwala Rajba near the food department godowns. The market value of the land is much higher than the amount of lease. Sources said the land had been leased to a 'powerful personality' of the country sitting in Islamabad and his alleged frontman Sheikh Afzal Rahim was not popular in the city. His firm, Ring International, has also no identity in the city at any level.
They said the lessee has started constructing a multi-storey commercial plaza and opened the sale of shops. A shop of 200 square feet was being leased out through sub-lease agreement for Rs1 million. The person who had obtained the rights of lease of the land would earn more than Rs200 million.
The most interesting feature of the deal is that it had been struck between the President of Pakistan and a private person, ignoring the Pakistan Railways officials. However, Lahore divisional superintendent Abdul Wahab Awan and Maj Gulzar Khan (retired), divisional engineer, property and land, PR, Lahore, have prepared the lease deed.
ZAHID SARFRAZ: Meanwhile, former federal interior minister and ruling PML leader Zahid Sarfraz claimed that the provincial hierarchy of the Pakistan Railways had leased out the land by using the name of the President of Pakistan without his (president) consent and knowledge.
He said at a news conference such deal between a government department and a private person was nothing but a stigma on the face of the rulers. The land which had been leased out to a person by the Pakistan Railways was the property of the Punjab government and lying abandoned for the last three decades, he added.
He claimed that the actual price of the land was over Rs2 billion due to its location. Mr Sarfraz said he had personally contacted the railways general manager and protested against the deal but the PR authorities not only defended their decision but also declared it 'gainful' for the department. He demanded the president, the prime minister and the NAB to take up the matter and save the precious state land from the "land grabbers."
