The Standing Committee of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Department of Revenue called for the referring of the case of tempering in the record of the official land sanction for the establishment of Edwards Colleges, SOS Village and Mental Hospital in Hayatabad to National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
The matter was taken by the Speaker, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Kiramatullah Khan as suo motto case and was referred to the standing committee on department of revenue on March 11, 2009.
The committee prepared its recommendations after a long debate in its six meetings. Those who attended those meetings included Haji Imtiaz Khan Shagai, Ghani Dad Khan, Raja Faisal Zaman, Abdul Sattar Khan, Tabbasum Shams and Yasmin Pir Mohammad Khan. The report of the committee was presented in the House during recently concluded session.
During the course of proceedings the Speaker, Kiramatullah Khan told the standing committee that the provincial government acquired an official land of 188 kanal for establishment of SOS Village, Edwards High School and College and Mental Hospital at Achni Bala. He said that the objective of his intervention is the vacation of occupation and return of surplus payment and initiating of action against the officials involved in negligence in this regard. Furthermore, there is also a need for verification of the owners to pave way for starting work on these long-standing development schemes.
District Revenue Officer (DRO) Peshawar, Atta-ur-Rehman, in his presentation to the standing committee told that an amount of Rs 32 million was released for the acquisition of the land comprising of 22 Khasras in 2003. The rate of the land was Rs 172,000 per kanal; 44 kanal were disputed and 44 kanal were having ownership. He said that 1,543 persons had received the amount while 264 were still waiting for the payment.
Mohammad Alamgir Khan Khalil, MPA, expressed surprise over the showing of less width of the land saying instead of 398 feet its width had shown as 60 feet and the occupants of the large portion had less than those occupying less portion of the land.
The Collector, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) presented the record of 2002 about the land, which was showing Khasras number of 61, 62 and 63 as part of the land concerned while the present map is lacking these Khasras.
Additional Secretary, Department of Home and Tribal Affairs, said though the award is carrying his signatures, however, whereas the matter of changing in the Khasras is considered it was the responsibility of Acquiring Department and he had neither participated in the process of the changing of Khasras, nor he was authorised for it.
The Chairman, Standing Committee told the committee that initially Khasras No 61, 62 and 63 were included in the acquisition and for this a formal notification carrying the signatures of then Director, Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), District Revenue Officer (DRO) Pehawar and naib tehsildar was also issued in this regard. But, later, the blocks of land were expunged resulting inflicting huge loss of national exchequer and particularly the expunging of Khasra No 63 foiled the achievements of the required objectives as it was situated on main road and its width is 400 feet. He further told that at time the land was not so precious, but now due its prime location and establishment of town the price had went up by many folds. About the acquisition, Additional Secretary, Department of Local Bodies, Zakiullah told the committee that District Revenue Officer in his letter on March 21, 2005, in presence of patwari, area collector CD&MD after the identification of an area of 188 kanal for establishment of Mental Hospital, Edwards High School and College and SOS Village handed over the possession of the land to Gardawar and CD&MD.
Later, in presence of Qanoongo and local police sanctioned and handed over the acquisition of 188 kanal for Mental Hospital, Edwards School and College and SOS Village. The award carrying the names of three persons while 188 kanal lands were given in the possession of one person.
The committee unanimously decided that changes in the Khasras of the land concerned is not possible without the lack of co-operation and negligence of the departments concerned, which was, however, the legal and moral responsibility of the department of revenue and PDA, but they failed to feel their duties. The committee said despite all hectic efforts for bringing corrections in the Khasras of the land sanctioned for Mental Hospital, Edwards School and College and SOS Village in a peaceful and good manner, but due to the lack of the officers of the concerned departments it was foiled.
The standing committee has also recommended departmental action against Collector PDA, Mohammad Tahir for exhibition of negligence in the acquisition of the assigned land. The committee has also asked Raja Faisal Zaman, MPA, for moving privilege motion against Collector Mohammad Tahir in Provincial Assembly as he registered wrong statement with the sub-committee, which under the Privilege Act is tantamount to the committing of crime.