LDA to Take Action against Johar Town Land Mafia

[Salman]

The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has decided to take action against 56 unlawfully exempted or adjusted residential and commercial plots in Johar Town and retrieve them from the occupants.

The management has also decided to take action against the land mafia for continuously harassing and pressurising its Directorate of Land Development-1 and One Window Cell officials.

Two files bearing numbers JTNB-291 and JTNB-2/5907 were marked doubtful by the directorate, as the land mafia in connivance with some LDA officials had managed allotments under exemption and adjustment provisions through tampered with documents. Under exemption, a land owner is given 30 percent of developed plots against the land, they surrender to the LDA for the development of any residential scheme.

Under the adjustment, plots are allotted or adjusted against the land having certain construction or open spaces under the approved plan. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the LDA Director General dismissed eight officials from service including an Additional Director General (Housing).

LDA Director Imran Raza Abbasi stated that the mafia wants to get these properties regularised by hook or by crook. “In June and September, the mafia members visited the LDA One-Window Cell and threatened the officials to regularise these plots or face consequences.”

The mafia pressurise the officials to get their plots regularised. The LDA got registered cases on June 28 and September 18 against the accused. Now it has been decided to cancel and retrieve these plots by force.