Business community cries foul on land grabbing; Sindh worst hit in illegal occupation

Business community cries foul on land grabbing; Sindh worst hit in illegal occupation

KARACHI: Business community has cried foul over the land grabbing of industrial and commercial lands in Pakistan. Most of the cases have been reported in Sindh.

Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), expressed his profound concerns on Monday over land grabbing of the industrial, commercial, agricultural and residential lands in Pakistan in general and, in Sindh province, in particular.

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He apprised that hundreds of industrial plots in Pakistan have been illegally-occupied through forged documents; out-rightly grabbed or encroached upon; and, as President of the apex body, he is under tremendous pressure from the business, industry and trade community from across Pakistan to raise the issue with the federal and Sindh governments for its decisive resolution in a fair mechanism.

President FPCCI has demanded that special, speedy courts should be set up for the litigation vis-à-vis land grabbing cases; and, culprits should be sentenced for up to 10 years, coupled with recovery of land & fines. Additionally, he demanded, the amendment made for COVID-related circumstances in the 2012 laws applicable on land records should be abolished.

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Irfan Iqbal Sheikh mentioned that Pakistan ranks at 156th worst out of total 190 countries on institutional mechanism to cope with land grabbing; and, it is a yet another challenge in the ease of doing business environment of the country. Additionally, he added, as per the report of International Crisis Group (ICG), the metropolitan city of Karachi loses $2.9 billion annually in its formal economy due to various mafias, i.e. land, water and transport.

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FPCCI Chief has categorically demanded that the Sindh Government must form an all-inclusive, powerful committee with provincial revenue minister; FPCCI representatives; law-enforcement agencies (LEAs)’ personnel; Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR) Sindh; representative of Hyderabad Settlement & Survey Department and members of legal fraternity to start resolving the issues of land grabbing on a priority, time-bound and transparent manner.

Irfan Iqbal Sheikh maintained that if even now the Sindh Government does not pay heed to the burning issue of land grabbing, the business community would be left with no other option than to form a private security arrangement to protect themselves on their own from being deprived off their hard-earned assets & properties. As the taxpayers & law-abiding citizens, it is our fundamental right to have protection of our lives, properties and businesses, he added.

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Suleman Chawla, SVP FPCCI, highlighted the fact that the first major acquisition during the setting up process of new industry or an expansion starts with the land acquisition; and, FPCCI wonders, what message goes out of Pakistan to the foreign investors or private-sector of the country, when they encounter land grabbing!

Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, immediate past President FPCCI, pointed out that the only solution to the issue lies in digitalization and biometric verification. It is pertinent to note that due to these very factors, land records & transfers are carried in DHAs without any hassle or litigation, he added.

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Khurram Tariq Sayeed, VP CACCI, said that Sindh Government claims that some portion of Sindh land records have been digitalized; whereas, the claim is still debatable as far as the business community is concerned.

Nevertheless, even if some efforts have been made by the Sindh Government, digitizing forged or fake documents would pose even more serious problems for the lawful owners. Therefore, he demanded, that before any land record is digitalized, it should be duly verified.