RAWALPINDI: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has initiated an inquiry into the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) based on a complaint filed by a local landlord.
The complaint accused RDA officers of aiding a private housing society owner in wrongfully acquiring government-owned land in Mouza Kalri.
The Circle Officer (CO) Shahid Sharif of the ACE Rawalpindi Region issued a notice to RDA’s higher authorities in response to the complaint lodged by Muhammad Safeer Raja.
Sources have revealed that the notice, filed under complaint number 854-cc-2023, has been directed toward the RDA leadership.
The high-ranking officials of RDA, who are facing allegations of corruption and involvement in assisting land grabber Raja Ishaq of Clifton Town, are expected to attend a hearing at the anti-graft body on Friday.
According to sources, Muhammad Safeer Raja, a resident of Kalri, approached the CO of ACE Rawalpindi Region to register a complaint.
In the complaint, he detailed the actions of a notorious land grabber named Raja Ishaq, who allegedly launched a housing society named “Clifton Town” adjacent to Gulshanabad Housing Society on Adiala Road.
Safeer Raja alleged that Raja Ishaq had expanded his housing society by encroaching upon land that belonged to the government and other local landlords.
He claimed that this crime of land grabbing had been facilitated through the collusion of officers from RDA and the Land Revenue Department in Rawalpindi.
The applicant accused the land revenue officer (Patwari) of altering the land records to show a piece of government-owned land measuring 24 kanal and 18 marlas under the name of Raja Ishaq.
Notably, Raja Ishaq is reportedly wanted by the police in connection with various criminal cases.
Furthermore, Safeer Raja alleged that certain RDA officers had approved the illegal expansion of Raja Ishaq’s housing society in exchange for significant bribes.
In his statement to the ACE Rawalpindi Region investigators, Safeer Raja highlighted that Raja Ishaq had also managed to take over his piece of land, located in Khasra Numbers 391/38/254/253/252 in Kalri, with the assistance of the land revenue department.
He also disclosed that despite complaining to ASP/SDPO Saddar, requesting a letter to the Land Revenue Department for the demarcation of his land, no action had been taken.
In addition, he attributed the lack of action to Raja Ishaq’s influential connections within the Land Revenue Department.
The complainant urged the CO of ACE Rawalpindi Region to initiate an inquiry against RDA and officers of the Land Revenue Department for their alleged involvement in aiding Raja Ishaq’s land-grabbing activities.
Responding to the complaint, CO ACE Rawalpindi Region Shahid Sharif issued a notice to the RDA, seeking relevant records and information regarding the matter.
Source: Pakistan Today
