KARACHI: Members of the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) have begun receiving relief from land grabbing and encroachment issues following the directives from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, with a dedicated steering committee making significant progress on multiple cases.
The committee, formed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and led by Provincial Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, has completed investigations into 14 of 22 cases filed by ABAD against land encroachment and illegal occupation. Of these, five cases have been fully resolved, anti-corruption inquiries ordered for two others, and instructions issued to relevant departments for the remaining cases.
“This initiative has restored business confidence,” said ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakhshi, expressing gratitude to Bilawal Bhutto and the Sindh government while urging further strengthening of the campaign against land-grabbing mafias.
The steering committee was established after Bilawal directed the Chief Minister to address business community issues during an address to traders across Sindh on January 29.
The committee includes high-ranking officials such as the Sindh Home Secretary, the Inspector General of Sindh Police, the Chairman of Anti-Corruption, and Senior Members of the Sindh Board of Revenue, alongside representatives from various trade organizations.
In its first meeting, ABAD Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hamid detailed illegal occupations of members’ lands, particularly in the districts of East, West, Malir, and Kemari. A sub-committee led by the Karachi Commissioner was subsequently formed to investigate complaints and present findings within 15 days.
The committee’s second meeting revealed that seven complaints had been resolved following thorough investigations, with additional inquiries ongoing.
Notably, Minister Lanjar ordered the suspension of the SHO of Gulshan-e-Maymar for allegedly facilitating land-grabbing activities and transferred the Anti-Encroachment Revenue Department Police (West) while initiating an inquiry against them. Minister Lanjar acknowledged that while older cases face legal complexities that require time to resolve, new cases of illegal occupation will be addressed within 24 hours after verification of legal documents.
ABAD Chairman Bakhshi has called for accelerated action against land-grabbing operations to ensure a favourable environment for ongoing development projects, expressing hope that continued efforts will restore investor confidence throughout Karachi and Sindh.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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