Cholistan Development Authority: NAB Multan summons Shehbaz, others

09 May, 2020

The NAB Multan bureau has summoned Shehbaz, former MNA and political assistant to Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Balighur Rehman, officers/officials of Cholistan Development Authority and others regarding case of 14,400 kanal land to 144x private persons as affecttees of Lal Sohanara National Park on May 18th.

According to the NAB spokesperson, Shehbaz along with other political leaders is allegedly involved in illegally allotting the land of the Punjab Development Authority to people he favoured. In this regard, the NAB Multan has sent a questionnaire to Shehbaz and has directed to submit reply.

According to detail 14,400 kanal land in Cholistan was allotted in year 2013 to 144x private persons by considering them as affecttees of Lal Sohanara National Park Bahawalpur.

Allotment orders were issued by then Managing Director Cholistan Development Authority Javed Akhtar Mehmood without eligibility/locus standai of said 144x private persons.

But the fact is that these 144x private persons were not affecttees of Lal Sohanara National Park as they never possessed any piece of land included in Lal Sohanara National Park.

Lal Sohanara National Park was established by the Government of Punjab in 1972. Private occupants of the said land were accommodated by the then government by giving them alternate lands situated in Cholistan.

MNA/political Assistant to CM Punjab helps said 144x private persons by recommending their application for initiation of summary for allotment of Cholistan land to them by considering them as affecttees of Lal Sohanara National Park Bahawalpur.

A summary was initiated by the Board of Revenue Punjab in 2012 for allotment of Cholistan land. It was approved by the then Chief Minister Punjab Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif without its approval from the provincial cabinet as it was required as per the law.

Rana Sanaullah Khan as Law Minister Punjab endorsed the said summary without its referral to the provincial cabinet. A summary was initiated by the Board of Revenue Punjab in 2012 for allotment of alternate land to affectees of Lal Sohanara National Park.

It was approved by the then Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shehbaz Sharif without its approval from the provincial cabinet as it was required as per the law.

The NAB Multan has sent questionnaires to Shehbaz Sharif, former MNA/Political Assistant to Chief Punjab Muhammad Balighur Rehman, former Law Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan and government officers concerned with initiation and processing of summary to explain their position by providing relevant information as per their roles as the summary was approved by CM Punjab and not by provincial cabinet. However, no call up notice has been issued by the NAB Multan to said persons.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020

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