SUKKUR, May 17: The Pakistan Railways has advised people not to book plots in Bhittai Town, a residential scheme launched recently by a construction company.

“People are being warned through television and other sources against booking plots in Bhittai Town as the land is Railway property,” Sardar Ahmed Sheikh, an official, told reporters on Thursday.

He said builders had taken over by force railway land spread over 50 acres at Gole Takri, Bhoosa Lane, where they set up an office two months ago and started inviting applications for booking of plots.

Sardar Ahmed Sheikh, the railway official, said if the builders did not stop booking of plots on the organisation’s land, “we will file a petition in Sindh High Court’s Sukkur bench on Monday”.

Haji Suleman Memon, a spokesman for the builders, disputed the Railway’s claim, saying the land belonged to the City Survey Department. He denied all allegations levelled against them by the Pakistan Railways.

The land in question, Mr Memon added, was purchased by their group seven years ago from Sadaruddin Shaikh, who is the nephew of PPP leader Islamuddin Shaikh. All documents, including the registered sale deed, “were in our name”, he claimed.