Karachi: Pakistan’s National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday arrested senior officials of Karachi Development Authority (KDA) over alleged land-grabbing and embezzlement.
A NAB spokesman said they were arrested over ‘China Cutting’, a term used to refer to land encroachment.
The arrested were identified as Abdul Qavi Khan, former director of KDA; Rashid Aqeel, director of the Master Plan; and Mohammad Nasir Sheikh, additional director of KDA.
Another person, Anjum Jameel, was also arrested for conniving with the three KDA officials.
They were nabbed following the arrests earlier of two civilians, Mohammad Mujeebullah Siddiqui and Faisal Masroor Siddiqui. Based on their tip-off, the authorities recovered important documents, which led to the arrest of the three.
The probe was being conducted by a joint investigation team (JIT) comprising officers of the NAB, paramilitary Rangers, and the Federal Investigation Agency.
An NAB statement alleged they were involved in illegal construction and sale/purchase of plots from the University Hill Villas housing scheme. The project is located in Gulistan-e-Johar on the land that was reserved for a water pipeline and high tension line of K-electric, the power utility in Karachi.
Land grabbing and illegal construction incidents have been growing in this mega city.
The NAB was also looking for Manzoor Qadir Kaka, the chief of Sindh Building Control Authority (SBA), who allegedly fled abroad after the bureau launched its drive against land grabbing in Karachi.
Kaka, who is said to be a favourite bureaucrat of Asif Ali Zardari, allegedly committed billions of rupees corruption by allowing illegal construction and high-rise buildings in Karachi.
