Hyderabad, Mithi Small Industrial Estates: Sindh government unearths 17 acres of land scam

The Sindh government has found at least three of its officials involved in a land scam of at least 17 acres of land in the small industrial estates of Hyderabad (Extension) and Mithi. According to sources, Industries and Commerce Minister Rauf Siddiqui had pointed out the land scam during his visit to these sites and ordered formation of a probe committee, headed by department's special secretary, Zamir Ahmed Khan, with Murli A Gangaramani and Shujauddin Abro as its members.
The probe committee investigated the matter and held responsible three senior officials of the Sindh Small Industries Corporation being involved in the land scam, causing loss of millions of rupees to the provincial government, sources said.
According to the inquiry report, available with the Business Recorder, the committee has held Mehmood Ahmed Khan, Managing Director, Sindh Small Industries Corporation, Karachi, Mushtaque Ali Leghari, Director Civil Sindh Small Industries Corporation and Muhammad Rafique, Regional Director, Sindh Small Industries Corporation, Hyderabad responsible for the land scam.
The report has also proposed stern disciplinary action against these officials. However, the suspension orders of Ghulam Nabi Mahar, Director, Sindh Small Industries Corporation, may be withdrawn as no clue was found against him. The inquiry officer summoned Mushtaq Ali Leghari, currently working as Deputy Managing Director, Sindh Small Industries Corporation, ex-regional director, Hyderabad, Mohammad Rafique, along with relevant record on December 3, 2009.
The establishment of Small Industries Estate, Hyderabad (Extension) was prepared on an area of 50 acres of land at a cost of Rs 82.812 million. The Board of Revenue (BoR) had allotted the land in Deh Bora-Rai, Taluka Latifabad, Hyderabad, survey Nos 164, 165, 172, 173 and 199.
The land was mutated in the name of SSIC on October 17, 2006, but physical possession was not taken due to encroachment. However, after prolonged efforts, the possession was taken on April 5, 2007. Later on, it came to be known that total area of land came to 43 acres, instead of 50 acres, according to the city survey numbers mentioned above.
A letter was sent to the Mukhtiarkar of Latifiabad on June 18, 2007 to re-measure and complete the area of 50 acres, as the corporation had already paid full and final cost of 50 acres of land. The matter is still pending with the revenue authorities, the report says.
In this case, Mehmood Ahmed, Mushtaque Ali Leghari, and Mohammad Rafiq have been held responsible for shortfall of 7 acre of land despite full payment by the Sindh government. It was their duty to check and verify measurement of land before taking possession but they relied on the revenue authorities, the report added.
Further, in the case of small industrial estate Mithi, the PC-1 was prepared on October 1, 2004 on an area of 50 acres with Rs 0.1 million per acre, and the land rates were subsequently raised to Rs 0.2 million per acre. Accordingly, Rs 10 million was provided by the Sindh Small Industries Corporation to the BoR through challans, the report said.
Till date, no formal handing and taking over of the land haas taken place. As per verbal statement of Mohammad Rafiq, the then Regional Director, physical possession of 40 acres land has been handed over to the SSIC by the BoR, but neither the land has been allotted nor the name of SSIC has been entered in the Record of Rights.
On February 23, 2007, Mohammad Rafiq had written a letter to the then Director Civil stating that "the possession of the land is being handed over to you but as still the land has not been allotted to you, therefore allotment of the land for subject schemes as well as SIE, Mithi may be got from the competent authority at earliest, otherwise the construction work on the site can be stopped which may be noted".
But no action was taken by the then Director (Civil) Mushtaq Ali Leghari. It is crystal clear that the then Managing Director Mehmood Ahmed and the then Director (Civil) Mushtaq Ali Leghari have ben held responsible for this wilful negligence. These officers did not take interest in ensuring that the title of land was officially and formally transferred in favour of SSIC or not.
Even nobody can say that the physical possession taken by Mohammad Rafiq is of 40 acres or less, the report concluded. According to sources, the inquiry report was forwarded to the Enquiries and Anti-Corruption Department for further strict legal action against these officials who had caused loss of millions of rupees to the national exchequer.