The powerful land mafia, supported by top brass of Multan Development Authority (MDA) and ruling PML-Q has once again succeeded in halting the process of computerisation of land record of the MDA housing schemes including private housing schemes developed unlawfully.
Similarly a number of shopping centres and plazas were constructed in violation of MDA's construction rules and plans approved by the concerned department. It is interesting to note that Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is interested in computerisation of entire record of MDA but Director General MDA Mumtaz Qureshi seems to be the main hurdle in this matter and he was reluctant to computerise the record which could send a number of MDA officials and officers behind bars.
Keeping the MDA traditions alive, newly appointed DG MDA Mumtaz Ahmed Qureshi who had joined the authority as Public Relations Officer (PRO) and served in the same organisation as Director and other important seats in the past is fully well versed with the ins and outs of the department.
It gives clear indications that the top bureaucrats of MDA are either involved with the land mafia in the business of illegal land transactions or are fearful of opening a Pandora's Box. They fear the computerisation process would detect double or rather triple entries of the land and that would ultimately bring a bad name to the MDA.
Following successful computerisation of MDA, all the things would be transparent and easy transfer of ownership in these housing schemes. "It has been decided that from now onward the transfer of plots of all housing schemes of MDA will be processed and finalised on the pattern of Lahore's Avenue-1 and Jubilee Town to maintain transparency and to avoid bogus and illegal transfers.