ISLAMABAD: The Benami Zone, Islamabad, has unearthed a mega benami case and provisionally attached 10,384 kanals benami land situated in the District Attock.

Details of the case revealed that in continuation of Anti-Benami drive launched by the Prime Minister, the Benami Zone, Islamabad has provisionally attached 10,384 kanal benami land situated at village Moorat, Tehsil Fateh Jang, district Attock.

Formal show-cause notice has been issued to the benamidars, beneficial owners, and the concerned parties. Formal notice for provisional attachment of land has also been issued to the Deputy Commissioner, Attock, to avert any attempt of transfer of land.

Under the provisional attachment order, the benamidar cannot transfer the land in any other name and after issuance of the show-cause notice and hearing the parties, investigation will be concluded and reference filed before the adjudicating authority by the initiating officer, who is deputy commissioner from Inland Revenue Service.

Sources stated that a housing society purchased land in the name of an individual and paid money through cheque and the land is still held as benami, even after enactment of the benami law.

The NAB is also investigating the case on other charges. According to information available, the prime minister had directed all the revenue authorities of provinces to provide information/evidence on suspected benami properties.

Consequent to that directive, Deputy Commissioner Attock forwarded information/ evidence on this suspected benami property to Benami Zone-I, Islamabad in September 2019, and after detailed investigation by the zonal authorities by collecting relevant evidence and summoning various parties and recording their statements issued show-cause notice and provisional attachment order of suspected benami land measuring 10,384 kanals.

This is second biggest case of benami property framed by Benami Zone-Islamabad in terms of land area. Prior to this case, Benami Zone-I, Islamabad on provision of information by the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, has filed biggest case on benami land in Pakistan involving more than 50,000 kanals and also won it from adjudicating authority and now pending before appellate tribunal. So far, Benami Zone-I, Islamabad have attached land of more than 71,000 kanals in various localities and filed 41 references on benami assets.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021