LAHORE: The Bahria Town Lahore is in illegal occupation of almost 100 kanals state land and owes the Punjab government Rs5.24 billion, says Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

In his maiden presser since becoming the chief executive of the province, Mr Buzdar said on Thursday the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) had recovered state land in Sillanwali tehsil of Sargodha district worth Rs2.5 billion from former federal minister Anwar Aziz Ch, father of PML-N leader Danial Aziz.

“The Punjab government has also launched fresh investigation into the illegal allotment of land in Harbanspura area in Lahore, which was to be cancelled way back in 1973. Former finance minister Ishaq Dar is one of the accused in the illegal allotment of land worth Rs5 billion.”

Flanked by his spokesman, law and information ministers, the chief minister said eliminating corruption and retrieving state land from illegal occupation would remain the focus of the PTI government. He said the ACE had, during the last three months, recovered land worth Rs32 billion as well as cash of Rs2 billion.

Referring to an inquiry into the affairs of the Ittefaq Foundry (owned by the Sharifs), he said the mill had been in illegal occupation of 240 kanals state land, including 71 kanals of the federal government.

The chief minister said the Bahria Town had occupied 37 kanal, 15 marla land worth Rs2.35 billion belonging to the Punjab Cooperative Board for Liquidation, where a hotel and a mall had been constructed, and 60 kanal auqaf land worth Rs1.77 billion. Similarly, he said, the Bahria Orchards scheme of Bahria Town owed the government Rs1.12 billion.

The chief minister said the Supreme Court had cancelled the allotment of Harbanspura land in 1973 but the FIRs were lodged against illegal occupants in 2011. A subsequent inquiry was shelved in three months. He said a fresh inquiry had been ordered to retrieve the illegally occupied land worth Rs5 billion.

Stating that the government had cancelled PML-N senators and leaders’ illegal allotment of rooms in the Punjab House, Islamabad, the chief minister said the legislators were liable to pay Rs63.7 million.

Giving the breakup, he said Senator Asif Kirmani was supposed to pay Rs6.496 million, senator Pervaiz Rasheed Rs9.6 million, senator Mushahidullah Rs2 million, former MNA Anusha Rehman Rs2.3 million, Zubair Gull Rs2.4 million and former advocate general Mustafa Ramday Rs3.9 million. He also said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had spent over Rs10 million to entertain his personal guests. Mr Buzdar said former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif had declared four residences as his camp offices -- Jati Umera, 196-H and 180-H in Model Town and 41-S DHA Lahore. He claimed that the former CM had deployed over 2000 policemen for his security duty. “I have declared no camp office. Only 60 policemen are on my security duty and the CM secretariat is saving Rs3 million per month under the head of petrol consumption,” he said.

The chief minister said the Punjab government had set its direction and fixed targets, which would be explained in the 100-day event shortly. He said the Punjab government would begin evaluating performance of the cabinet members within the next few days.

Mr Buzdar avoided some questions’ direct answers and cleverly took refuge in media assertions that he was a puppet CM and his powers were being used by someone else. Responding to questions about transfer and postings of Punjab IGP and other officials, the chief minister said: “How can you level allegations like misuse of powers by me when you portray me as a toothless chief minister”.

Giving details of the retrieved land, Mr Buzdar said 456,000 kanals land was recovered in the D.G Khan district, followed by 136,000 kanals in Faisalabad, 56,000 kanals each in Lahore and Sargodha, 35,000 kanals in Sahiwal, 24,000 kanals in Multan, 22,000 kanals in Gujranwala, 14,563 kanals in Bahawalpur and 7,345 kanals in Rawalpindi.

The chief minister said the government had prepared a data bank of the retrieved land for its better use. “The government will consult and decide about the distribution of land to the departments concerned.”

Answering a question about ACE’s performance and removal of its director-general, the chief minister said the DG was not removed but promoted to BS-22. He said that he would again be posted as the ACE DG after regularization of the posting.

CHINA VISIT: Usman Buzdar is scheduled to visit China next week for talks on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He will leave for China on Dec 17 (Monday) evening and return after three days. Due to his visit, a scheduled event to unveil the Punjab government’s 100 days plan has been postponed and will be rescheduled upon his return.

PML-N REACTION: Responding to Punjab CM’s presser, PML-N spokesperson Marriayum Aurangzeb said former chief minister Shahbaz Sharif was haunting the PTI government with his untiring service for the people during the past 10 years.

Chiding the chief minister for his performance during the first 100 days of his government, Ms Aurangzeb said Mr Buzdar should work like Mr Sharif before criticizing the latter. She also asked the chief minister when he would address a press conference about the establishment of south Punjab province.

The PML-N spokesperson said the `puppet’ chief minister would never be able to come up to the expectations of the people of Punjab. She suggested Mr Buzdar to consult his senior minister Aleem Khan (who also faces allegations of land grab) for the retrieval of land from illegal occupation.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2018