The CDA has uncovered bogus farmhouse allotments worth over Rs3 billion on Murree Road, after land records were allegedly tampered with to inflate land claims.
A huge land scam with questionable farmhouse allotment valued over Rs3 billion has been unravelled by the Capital Development Authority (CDA). The officials claimed that land records were being falsified to convert 50 kanals into 500 kanals to assist the perpetrators of the fraud in acquiring valuable pieces of land using suspicious court orders.
The fraud, revolving around farmhouse plots in the Main Murree Road, has brought forward new doubts of collusion between some of the CDA officials and individual individuals. According to the authority, early intervention saved the state huge financial losses and has threatened to take action against all those involved.
How 50 Kanals Became 500: Manipulated Land Records
The officials at CDA disclosed that the fraud was initiated when land records were manipulated. Land claims in most instances were inflated by just adding an extra zero such that 50 kanals of land were transformed into 500 on paper.
This was obtained by using these false figures to get favorable court decrees in favor of applicants. After getting the decrees, the suspects pressurized the CDA to distribute the farmhouse plots in accordance to the exaggerated land claims.
The allotment of five farmhouse plots of the Main Murree Road was made on basis of what can only be described by the officials as suspicious and fraudulent decrees. The plots are numbered 38, 40, 59, 66 and 66-A.
Suspected Collusion Inside the CDA Law Directorate
The case caused a severe alarm over the possibility of collusion between some lawyers and officials within the CDA Law Directorate. As the trend of allotments and court decrees was becoming more apparent, DG Law Directorate Naeem Akbar Dar intervened to probe.
A government investigation revealed that government land ownership documents were being manipulated to favor the fake claims. Upon receipt of a written complaint, the chairperson of the CDA instructed an in-depth investigation and this confirmed that documents had been tampered with and that an attempt had been made to get favorable court orders based on these false entries.
After the fraud was established, the DG Law Directorate proceeded to cancel all the fraudulent decrees. According to the officials, had these allotments not been halted in time, the CDA might have incurred colossal financial losses and the prime government land might have been lost under their control.
Fact-Finding Committee to Identify Those Responsible
The CDA has established two-member fact finding committee to further investigate the scandal. It has a committee and staff of Deputy Director General Resources Humaira Arshad and the director state and management II Shakeel Ahmed.
They are to track down what the fraud was done and who made the records falsified and who got the falsified allotment. The committee is also assigned with the role of investigating the role of Aslam Jamil and former Assistant Director Land Irfan Ahmed.
Irfan Ahmed already gave the statement against the CDA in the court, which has now cast some additional doubts on his role or about his conflict of interest. The completion of the initial investigation by the committee within three days is an indication that the CDA desires prompt responses.
CDA Promises Strict Action and Tighter Controls
The officials of CDA have put it clear that they will strictly deal with anyone who is caught in the fake farmhouse allotments. Depending on the evidence collected, this may involve departmental proceedings, litigation and criminal charges.
The authority claims that the case is one of a bigger initiative to control land fraud, unlawful intrusions and document forgery in Islamabad. By revealing this scam, the CDA is hoping that a great signal will be sent that manipulating records and violating the courts will not go unpunished anymore.
Another thing that has been underscored in the episode is the importance of having stronger digital records, enhanced internal controls and more transparent land management processes. With this kind of safeguards, no one will be able to change records and overstated land claims without being caught before long.
So far the annulment of the bogus decrees has saved a great amount of popular soil and cash. Residents and watchdogs will be keeping a keen eye on whether the CDA is really engaged in accountability as they speak.
Provided that the investigation is done in a sincere and results in significant changes, the case may become a turning point in the way the land-related fraud is addressed in the capital- assisting in securing government land and re-instilling confidence in the system in the population.
