20000112

Auqaf manager

suspended, inquiry

begins

NAWABSHAH: An inquiry has been started into the encroachments allowed on the city's Eidgah land worth millions of rupees in connivance with the Auqaf officials.

The Auqaf manager has been placed under suspension whereas Anti-Corruption Department has seized the record relating to Eidgah after a raid at the Auqaf's Hyderabad office.

According to details over a hundred pathological laboratories, private clinics, medical stores and other shops were constructed on the land of historic Eidgah against nominal advance and rent in collusion with the Auqaf officials here.

Some influentials got the said valuable land allotted in their name, constructed property over it and lent them out against heavy advance amount and monthly rent.

Besides the Eidgah land, portion of road was also encroached upon for the construction purpose turning it extremely narrow. An interesting thing which came to light was that the influential people grabbing this land did not get the construction plans approved from the municipal committee.

One Ibrahim Memon had filed an application before the Nawabshah deputy commissioner that he was allotted three feet portion of road adjacent to Eidgah land in front of main gate of Civil Hospital which was later cancelled and allotted to someone else.

Taking cognizance of this matter the Anti-Corruption Department on the directive of deputy commissioner raided the office of Auqaf Department, Nawabshah and seized the related record and submitted its inquiry report.

On the basis of the report, the Auqaf manager was suspended and more record from the office of Auqaf chief administrator was also taken into custody.

Meanwhile, in the citizen's meeting held under the chairmanship of Nawabshah SDM at Darbar Hall, the people demanded that management of Eidgah be transferred from Auqaf to citizens. Land lent on rent against millions of rupees be retrieved and encroachments raised there upon be removed.

Meanwhile, Nawabshah Municipal Committee acting administrator and city SDM Syed Noor Mohammed Shah has said that the removal of encroachments around Jamia Masjid and along the boundary wall of Eidgah was under active consideration, whereas an inquiry was also being instituted against the Auqaf officials for renting out the Eidgah land and construction of portion of road without approval.

He said measures were adopted to bring to task all those responsible for the under hand deal.

The land has turned into a gold mine for its location being opposite the hospital and its price has sky-rocketed.

Interestingly, while the Auqaf Department received a nominal amount on account of land rent, privately the deal goes into millions of rupees on change of tenants. However, the Auqaf personnel do get a share out of the same.

According to informed sources, a high-level inquiry is being instituted on reports of handing over precious lands of temples, Mosques, Eidghas and shrines under the control of Auqaf Department to "Qabza mafia" as well as against leasing out the same against nominal advance and rent.

In this regard the Auqaf secretary is learnt to have visited whole of Sindh and prepared a report. It is believed that an accountability process will soon be launched in the light of the report.ÑAPP