GUJRAT: The University of Gujrat (UoG) has been striving to acquire the entire piece of land on the western side of the road passing through its Hafiz Hayat Campus for future expansion. It has now accepted a district government’s plan of stopping sale and purchase of the land to prevent commercial activities there.

The university administration believes the existence of a private hostel besides some other commercial activities on that side can pose a security risk to academic activities on campus in future.

Politically backed land mafia has already purchased a large chunk of the proposed land to be acquired by the varsity.

The district government on the request of the UoG had issued Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act for the purchase of at least 161 acres from four villages surrounding the Hafiz Hayat Campus for the establishment of the Nawaz Sharif Medical College (NSMC). A sum of Rs149 million had also been deposited with the district revenue department for the purpose.

However, only 61 acres could so far be acquired as some local PML-N people had allegedly purchased the land situated in front of the proposed site of the medical college. Another influential person had constructed a private hostel on the other side of the road passing through the varsity.

The influential mafia had then got over 20 acres in front of the NSMC site de-notified in 2012 through the orders of then district coordination officer Nawazish Ali against which the UoG appealed to the Gujranwala commissioner who had cancelled the DCO’s order in 2013.

However, in June that year, then DCO Asif Bilal Lodhi instead of implementing the commissioner’s orders had issued an order de-notifying over 50 acres of the proposed land. The district government declared this land falling in villages Kot Amir Hussain and Ghumman surplus and refused to acquire it even in the future.

The UoG had lodged a protest against DCO Lodhi’s orders and had been struggling ever since to get the western side of the land notified again citing security and commercialisation apprehensions besides its future requirements of expansion.

Incumbent Gujrat DCO Liaquat Ali Chattha is about to resolve the entire issue as he has held several meetings with UoG Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Nizamuddin on the matter and according to reliable sources they have reached an understanding.

As per the agreed-upon formula, the district government has decided to acquire 131 acres on the right side of the varsity in Akhlas Garh village to cater to the varsity’s future needs as well as the NSMC. The 20 acres allegedly owned by a ruling party official in front of the medical college site would also be acquired.

VC Dr Nazimuddin has sought at least issuance of notification of Section 4 for the de-notified over 50 acres of Ghumman and Kot Amir Hussain villages, so no one could purchase it and construct commercial buildings there.

DCO Chattha told Dawn the district government was all set to seal the private hostel close to the varsity campus besides purchasing the piece of land in front of the NSMC campus as per the wishes of the UoG administration. There was no political pressure on him in acquisition of the land allegedly owned by a politician, he added.

He said he had briefed the UoG VC, who had agreed with the plans of the district government regarding land acquisition. He said further 131 acres were being purchased as acquisition of the western side of the land could not be of much benefit since the road passing through the varsity also leads to dozens of villages behind the campus.

He added that after purchasing the left side of the land, the varsity could block the road, which could create problems for residents of the area and the government would have to invest more to construct an alternative road. So acquiring eastern side of the land would be more beneficial.

The DCO said he had agreed to issue Section 4 for 30 acres on the western side in Ghuman village so the varsity’s concerns could be addressed. No one would be able to purchase that land.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2014