HYDERABAD: An Accountability Court on Saturday heard National Accountability Bureau’s Rs5.02 billion reference against Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, his younger brother Kashif Shoro (now mayor of Hyderabad) and their alleged accomplices.

The matter pertained to alleged usurpation of state-owned land by the accused, misuse of authority by the former minister while holding different portfolios between 2013 and 2018 to receive undue favours in getting the land’s status changed, and causing heavy losses to the provincial kitty by grabbing government land and defaulting on payment of prescribed fees for commercialisation of the property.

The NAB reference has nominated a government officer Sajjad Hyder, Hyderabad Development Authority (HDA) officer Shahid Pervez Memon; former deputy district officer (revenue) Bachal Rahupoto and 13 others as co-accused. Two of them have already died.

The matter was adjourned to May 4 after one more prosecution witness, former HDA director planning and development control Bashir Ahmed Awan, was cross-examined by Jam Khan Shoro’s counsel Zarar Qadir on behalf of defence counsel Sarmad Hani.

Minister faces landgrabbing, misuse of authority, default on fee payment allegations

Jam Khan Shoro could not turn up as he was unwell but Mayor Kashif Shoro and others were in attendance.

NAB prosecutor Jangu Khan was also present.

Bashir Awan had earlier filed his statement stating that commercialisation of land was processed by his predecessors through proper channel and the authorities concerned had confirmed that the accused owned the land. In his previous statement, Awan had mentioned that the survey No. 511, where the accused’s house was located, showed it as the land for ‘headworks of irrigation department’.

Jam claims it’s his ancestral land

Jam Khan Shoro says that the survey numbers in question were part of Jam Khan Shoro village and these are kabulli lands which his family had inherited from forefathers. Our forefathers had an undivided share of 67pc whereas 33pc was owned by legal heirs of late Mohammad Bux Shoro, he insists.

However, a NAB inquiry concluded that the nominated accused in connivance with each other and by misusing authority, usurped precious government land admeasuring 20-13 acres worth Rs5.02bn in Qasimabad taluka of Hyderabad district.

Prosecution’s ‘star witness’

So far, three prosecution witnesses have been cross-examined in the case by the defence side. They included ‘star witness’ Imamuddin Larik, a land record officer (LRO). Larik had informed the court that survey No. 511 as well as survey Nos. 2, 3, 4 in Jamshoro were actually land for headworks of Kotri Barrage.

In its inquiry, NAB had concluded that the accused in connivance with each other and by misusing authority, usurped precious government land admeasuring 20-13 acres worth Rs5.02bn in Qasimabad taluka of Hyderabad district.

It alleged that the minister had usurped state land by changing location of his private land (4-30 acres) bearing survey Nos. 2, 3 and 4 at northern boundary line of Jamshoro. It further alleged that the land had an approximate commercial value of Rs2.758bn as per the current valuation notification. The co-accused and MPA’s relative Karan Khan (paternal cousin and son of former Qasimabad taluka nazim Noor Mohammad Shoro) usurped 11-10 acres in Deh Jamshoro in connivance with others. The land’s commercial value was assessed at Rs30,000 per sq-yds therefore a loss of Rs2.261bn was caused to national kitty, it maintained.

The NAB probe revealed that Kashif Shoro applied for correction of ghat-wadh (+/-) form. Accused (now deceased) Khuda Dino Shoro, who was then director of settlement survey and land records, vide his letter dated June 2, 2014, had issued directives illegally to land record officer for correction of such form; and such form was illegally issued.

‘Misuse of authority by minister’

The reference had accused Jam Shoro of misusing his authority as minister livestock between June 2013 and Nov 2015 and minister for local bodies between Nov 2015 and May 2018. NAB said Jam in connivance with others obtained favour for himself and his relative by usurping precious state land by swapping location of land on main Jamshoro road.

Bashir Awan, in his statement, had said that Jam Khan Shoro had applied for approval of site plan for change of status from residential to commercial for land admeasuring 4-acres 30 ghuntas in survey Nos. 2, 3 and 4 of Deh Jamshoro. He said that as per HDA zonal plan, the land where the site plan of said survey numbers was approved was already reserved for headworks of irrigation department and original location of the land vide survey Nos. 2, 3 and 4 of Deh Jamshoro was between old and new Phuleli canal which was not commercial land.

Default on payments

He said that actual fee for commercialisation of these survey numbers was Rs22,919,115 as per revised rates of fee/charges. However, he added, Shahid Pervez Memon, then additional director planning and development control of HDA had illegally reduced fees/charges and approved fees at Rs15,846,240. He also mentioned that as per the office record, an amount of Rs1,320,270 was received from Jam Khan Shoro on account of commercialisation and approval of site plan whereas Rs21,598,845 was outstanding for which no post-dated cheques were received from him by the HDA.

He said that Rs2,643,200 was calculated as fees/charges by HDA in respect of survey number No511 and an amount of Rs385,825 were received by HDA so far from Master Karan Khan Shoro and all post-dated cheques equivalent to Rs2257,376 bounced/returned, thus Rs2,257,376 was outstanding.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2024