39 state-owned properties: Punjab government warned against privatisation

Chief of Muttahida Mahaz Bahawalpur, Senator Mohammad Ali Durrani warned the Punjab government of a long-march if it failed to cancel the privatisation of 39 state-owned properties, mega corruption scam in the country's history, saying that the actual cost of the land including seven rest houses was Rs 20 billion, but it was sold at much less amount of Rs 850 million.
Speaking in a news conference here on Saturday, he also called upon those who had purchased the properties to vacate voluntarily or otherwise warned them to be ready to face public anger.
He alleged that the state-owned properties were purchased by the front men of influential persons who, he said, would be branded as 'traitors' by the people of Bahawalpur. He said that once Bahawalpur is re-given status of province, all the auctions will be cancelled.
Giving details of the total land auctioned, he said that the total area of the sold properties was 1,970.5 acres including agricultural as well as commercial land, adding that of the total, 1,552 acres was located in Lahore while 412 acres was sited in Bahawalpur.
He further said that out of the seven rest-houses, a rest-house comprising 15 kanals of land was sold out for Rs 3 million only, while another was sold for Rs 1 million. He said though the Fisheries Department had written to the Punjab government against the sale of the rest-houses, which were the only place for stay of the government officials visiting the area.
He further said that the Privatisation Board of Punjab had described the land as redundant and went for the privatisation despite opposition of the Fisheries Department. He said the pond area of Head Islam was auctioned in lots of 200 acres each and a family had acquired five lots, which meant they would be the major landlords of the area.
He further said that one Abdur Rehman Khan of GT Road, Peshawar, had bought four lots of land, Jalal Khan Daultana bought five lots, M Ashiq Khalid bought 400 acres; Naeemuddin Warraich bought 256 acres and Ihsanul Haq Bajwa purchased five lots.
He urged Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif to take immediate notice of the matter as the people of Bahawalpur expect that the executive head of the province would give justice to them through cancellation of such sale in the already underdeveloped area.
Durrani further said that he was going to write a letter to the chief minister with all the proofs and expressed the hope that he will order an immediate inquiry into the scam. To a question, Durrani said that he was ready to assist the apex court with all documented proofs if Chief Justice Pakistan takes suo moto notice in the large public interest adding that the people of Bahawalpur would never forget the act of kindness by the honourable Chief Justice Pakistan.
He further said that the matter was also taken up in the Senate Functional Committee for Less Developed Areas and added that it was now for the Parliament to ensure its sovereignty.