LDA, owner’s under-the-table deal set to fool CMIT

[Salman]

LDA, owner’s under-the-table deal set to fool CMIT

LAHORE - The Lahore Development Authority is at full stretch to illegally approve the complete revised plan of Board of Revenue Housing Society, recently submitted to LDA Metropolitan Wing in violation of rules to silence the case of four labourers’ death during plaza demolition launched by LDA in the society some months back, hush up FIRs registered against authority officials and mislead ongoing inquiry of Chief Minister Inspection Team (CMIT) in the case. The move came in the wake of clandestine reconciliation between LDA top bosses and the plaza owner. Influential office bearers of BOR Housing Society, whose plots worth millions were at stake after the plaza demolition controversy helped the reconciliation by succeeding to woo both parties.
In a major development, BOR Housing SociETY General Secretary Abdul Shakoor, who run his own group in the society and is in conflict with the newly-elected President Nasir Qadir, submitted complete revised plan of society in LDA Metropolitan Planning Wing, flouting orders of the Registrar Cooperative Punjab (RCP) that unless managing committee of society and RCP sanctioned the plan, it could not be submitted to LDA for final approval. Giving no regard to RCP directions, LDA officials headed by Deputy Director Anjum Shakil Minhas, also in haste, went to BOR Housing Society to process the approval on Sunday (today). Qadir also accompanied the office bearers and showed the RCP letter to LDA team.
“Plaza owner wanted more than Rs 50 million from the LDA for demolishing the plaza,” LDA senior official said. After 4 labourers, hired by LDA for the operation, were crushed to death, cases had to be registered against LDA officials engaged in the demolition operation, he added. Situation got entangled, official said, when LDA and CMIT were tasked to investigate the case.
Sources said with the unwanted situation, plot mafia which had deep penetration in LDA and BOR Housing Society as well felt that if the situation lingered, the rates of their plots in the society would be greatly affected. “Hence the mafia arranged for the ceasefire, ensuring the plaza owner of prompt compensation. The LDA officials are to help approve the revised plan of society and the legal teams would hush up the FIRs and play down the findings of CMIT with the help of officials in Chief Minister Secretariat.”
BOR Housing Society former president Abdul Qadir told Pakistan Today that Abdul Shakoor in connivance with the LDA official headed by legal advisor Waqar A Sheikh, once tried to submit part revised plan in LDA Metropolitan Wing which was rejected an order was issued that a complete plan be submitted.
Fawad, personal staff officer of DG Abdul Jabbar Shaheen told Pakistan Today that LDA had nothing to do with internal conflict of any housing society. If an authorised official of society submitted a plan to prove ownership, LDA one window cell received and processed it per rules.
Another official of LDA said LDA DG Abdul Jabbar Shaheen is learnt to be main figure in plaza demolition episode and its aftermaths. “He actually ordered to raze the plaza despite stay order put all the responsibilities on the LDA officials that carried out the demolition. Initial investigation was prepared in such tricky way that he was kept spotless and some official were made scapegoat forthwith,” he added.
Later, on the instruction of LDA Abdul Jabbar Shaheen, Director (Administration) Khalid Pervaiz got an FIR No 720 / 11 registered in Johar Town Police Station on September 24(Saturday) against plaza owner Shahid Mehmood, his son Faizan Shahid, LDA officials including Chief Engineer Saeed Akhtar, Director Town Planning Sheikh Khalid, Director EME Abdul Razzak, Director Buildings Malik Ahmed Nawaz, Deputy Director Building Iqbal Javeed and others on the deaths of four people during plaza demolition process on September 23 (Friday)
According to official press release issued by LDA, it was clarified that FIR was lodged in the light of the inquiry committee headed by LDA ADG (Headquarter) Hafiq Ahsan ul Haq and comprising MD WASA Dr Javed Iqbal, Dir DG (HQ) LDA Fawad Amir and Director Admin Khalid Pervaiz. However, LDA official record revealed that enquiry report submitted its finding on September 26 (Monday) to LDA DG Abdul Jabbar Shaheen.