THATTA, Aug 6 Land mafia in the garb of political activists is active in encroaching upon valuable government plots in the twin towns of Thatta and Makli and parallel to the both sides of the National Highway, besides occupying forest compartments.

According to a survey conducted by Dawn, a group of activists, mostly favourites of the ruling party law makers in Thatta, is involved in erecting boundary walls on the state property under the district administration's nose.

An ongoing encroachment under the guard of some half a dozen gunmen on a million worth plot in front of the sessions court and adjacent to the National Highway at Makli, by a favourite of a lawmaker of the upper house, has become a public concern.

When contacted, PPP MNA Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro smilingly evaded the question by saying that he was not aware of any encroachment.

However, MPA Sadiq Ali Memon simply said “No comments”. The plot in question is at a walking distance from the offices of the District Police Officer and the DCO of Thatta.

The other under-encroachment and encroached land of the state include plots adjacent to the Elementary College of Thatta on Thatta Jungshahi Road at Makli, adjacent to Shaheed Azeem Unnar Maternity Home on the National Highway, near Makli Eidgah, near Polytechnic College adjacent to Makli Stadium on Ghulamullah Road, in Sahafi (Journalist) Colony, in the village of Narejo adjacent to Jung Shahi Road, at the backside of Steel Mill Colony Makli, in SRTC Colony and Revenue Colony etc.

In Var town of Taluka Ghorabari, an office-bearer of the PPP has reportedly encroached upon a plot meant for a public park. The situation is not different regarding encroachment of forest compartments and Katcha land.

An official of the forest department disclosed that influential activists had so far encroached upon 7,341 acres of forest land under the cover of government lease policy.

Such encroached land is identified in Veeran, Bijhora, Bao Purandas, Cut Monarki, Sadnani, Marho Kotri, Jurarr, Mulchand and other forests of the district.

A revenue officer said he had recommended registration of FIRs against land grabbers.

Revenue experts said that the land mafia had forged the revenue record that had been burnt in arson attacks sparked after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and some revenue officials had helped them.

PPP senior leader and ex MNA Babu Ghulam Hussain said that party lawmakers and office-bearers remained critical of land grabbing and encroachment by its political opponents, but in their own case, they were keeping silence.

Sympathisers of the PPP say that such activities of party people would negatively impact party's popularity. They have suggested that such elements should be expelled from the party.