Pakistan fails to recover properties, land left behind by migrants of 1965, 1971 wars

ISLAMABAD: Hundreds of precious properties and 0.22 million acres of agricultural land left behind by Pakistanis, who fled the country in panic during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, are in illegal possession of many influential politicians, businessmen, retired bureaucrats and landlords, causing billions of rupees losses to the national exchequer, Geo News has learnt.

Thousands of Pakistani families, mostly Hindus, migrated to India and Bangladesh during 1965 and 1971 wars, leaving behind their houses, businesses, commercial properties, agricultural land and in some cases worship places. Most of these assets are in Karachi, Sukkur, Rohri, Lahore, Islamabad, Pannu Aqil and Tharparkar and other parts of Sindh and Punjab provinces.

Government of Pakistan had taken over all lands, properties and antique buildings under Defence of Pakistan Rules 1965, when these assets were declared as "enemy properties", establishing a dedicated department named 'Enemy Properties Cell' in early 70s. The estimated worth of these precious assets is around Rs30 billion. But 95 per cent of these assets are illegally occupied by influentials, despite the fact that the federal government is spending around Rs300 million annually on maintenance of this 'Enemy Properties Cell' that operates under administrative control of Secretary Ministry of Communication.

Weeks-long investigation and research conducted by Geo News has revealed that most of these precious properties (antique houses, 'panchiat' houses, villas, 'havelis', bungalows, commercial plots, worship places, shops, etc) are in different districts of Sindh and Punjab, and in the federal capital. Around 220,000 acres land, 287 shops, 11 commercial plots and 247 houses have been occupied in Tharparkar; 5,600 acres in Umerkot; 300 acres, 438 houses, 71 plots and 70 shops in Sukkur; five shops, 50 flats, one house and 11 shops in Jacobabad; six acres commercial land in Rohri; 400 acres in Shikarpur, and 57 acres land and one house have been grabbed by these influentials in Sanghar.

Behind the camera interviews and data research further revealed that the most precious buildings and agricultural land were occupied either directly by political bigwigs, serving or retired bureaucrats, influential businessmen, or captured by their frontmen. Some bungalows and 42 quarters in Karachi are said to be occupied by aides of two influential politicians, who recently went into litigation.

A big office of "Enemy Properties Cell" has been illegally occupied by a former secretary National Highway Authority in the heart of Islamabad. He continued to occupy the office despite the concerned authorities served notices with millions of rupees fine. According to official documents, minutes of recently-held meetings, Geo News has access to, majority of precious plots, bungalows, 'havelis', shops and agricultural lands were occupied by landlords, politicians (around a dozen lawmakers sitting in the Parliament) and retired servants or their frontmen since decades.

These grabbers are knowingly associated with political parties based in Sindh, Punjab and Islamabad, according to documents. Geo News investigation further revealed that a precious Sarwa House was in possession of mother of a sitting lawmaker in Sanghar, around a dozen shops at Pur Sakhi Din Pannah are in possession of a known Syed political family in Sukkur, a 'haveli' worth millions of rupees at Dastgir Gali is in illegal possession of another political family in Sukkur, a factory land at Kalhor is in a possession of local wadera in Rohri, a house at Shah Latif Chowk is in illegal occupation of Ms. Nusrat Begum, 30 precious houses are in occupation of a local politician in Mochko, Pano Aqil, around a dozen commercial plots are in possession of a man from influential Mahar family near Minara Road, a 'panchiat' house is in a possession influential Sheikh family in Sindh, around two dozen shops have been occupied by two key businessmen being aided by a political party in Lahore. Geo News approached around three dozen persons, who possessed these properties for their viewpoint.

They neither denied occupying these properties nor gave their version of the story.

Ministry of Communication has failed to get these properties freed from the illegal occupants, admitted Federal Minister for Communication Murad Saeed. "Government plans to get back these precious assets from all illegal occupants at all cost. Federal government will put these assets on open bidding for generating millions of rupees. Once the properties are recovered, the cabinet would decide whether to sell them as Indian government did. I plan to send this issue to Federal Investigation Agency for recovery of precious state assets," Saeed told Geo News.

Government of India, after passing a fresh law, recovered over 50,000 "enemy properties", owned by war migrants who had moved from India to Pakistan, from Indian citizens, and started selling them last month. India has sold around 23,000 properties so far and put rest of such properties on fast-track sale process to earn INR90,000 crores.