The district administration of Peshawar has taken swift action in response to a reported land transfer scam involving approximately 1,375 kanals of land within a major government housing project. The inquiry, initiated after a complaint on the Pakistan Citizen Portal, revealed that the mutations in the Ghari Faizuallah area were manipulated and the revenue records tampered with. This fake land transfer was slated to cost the exchequer an estimated Rs1 billion.
Deputy Settlement Commissioner of Peshawar, Rao Hashim Azeem, conducted the investigation and identified the involvement of three revenue officials in the fraudulent activity. The affected land, originally community-owned (shamilat), was falsely designated as evacuee property and unlawfully transferred to a housing society associated with a provincial government initiative on the outskirts of the city.
As a result of this revelation, the implicated officials have been suspended, and the district collector has been urged to review and annul the counterfeit mutations and related intimation letters for plots. The Peshawar Development Authority, responsible for executing the housing project, has been made aware of the findings to facilitate appropriate action.
Peshawar’s Deputy Commissioner, Shah Fahad, assured a thorough examination of the matter within two weeks to ensure a resolution. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the integrity of revenue transactions, noting that the administration is actively addressing cases of tampering and irregularities.
While this incident pertains to a specific land section, the district administration acknowledges its commitment to upholding proper revenue administration throughout the area. Fahad revealed that, over the past six months, 13 revenue officials have been suspended, and 30 inquiries are ongoing for various instances of malpractice.
The district administration remains dedicated to preserving the authenticity of revenue records and transactions. This case underscores the importance of vigilance and oversight in land-related activities to prevent any further wrongdoing and uphold public trust in the administration’s efforts.
