2600 Kanals of Rawalpindi common land under scrutiny, NAB asked to probe

Around 2,600 kanals of common land linked to the Green Land and Sky Garden housing projects in Rawalpindi have come under serious scrutiny

Islamabad: Around 2,600 kanals of common land linked to the Green Land and Sky Garden housing projects in Rawalpindi have come under serious scrutiny. Construction at Green Land has been demolished, the sale and purchase of the land banned and the National Accountability Bureau has been asked to investigate the matter.

The development was discussed in detail at a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Housing and Works chaired by Senator Nasir Butt. The committee was briefed by the Commissioner Rawalpindi and the Additional Deputy Commissioner Revenue Rawalpindi about the disputed land, action taken so far and measures being used to protect it.

The Commissioner told the committee that the Supreme Court had issued a decision in 2018 regarding recovery of common land. Following the decision, notices were issued to the concerned housing societies and action was taken according to the court’s directions.

He said there is currently no activity on the land and construction at Green Land has been demolished. A digital map of the area has also been prepared, while monitoring continues to prevent further activity.

The committee was told that the matter involved about 2,600 kanals of common land. Action has also been taken against a concerned official under the relevant proceedings. Officials said sale and purchase of the land had been prohibited and NAB had been requested to conduct an inquiry.

The Commissioner further told the committee that forest land would remain in its original condition and that records related to the cases were being collected for examination by the competent forum.

The committee also examined land records and mutations in Rawalpindi and stressed that official records must be accurate, updated and transparent. Members said the same property should not have conflicting entries in different records.

The Commissioner informed the committee that the Punjab Government is digitalizing the Board of Revenue system. The new system is expected to improve land record management, transparency and monitoring of property transactions.

The committee directed the Ministry of Housing and the Commissioner Rawalpindi to coordinate closely and resolve outstanding matters according to the law and official procedures.

The Thalian Housing Scheme also came under scrutiny as around 5,000 affected applicants sought relief after years of uncertainty. The applicants told the committee that the scheme was launched in 2015 and they had deposited money with the Ministry of Housing.

They said the scheme was later discontinued, leaving thousands of applicants waiting for a solution. The applicants requested that they be provided an alternative housing arrangement so that their long standing problem could be resolved.

The committee took note of their complaints and stressed the need for a practical and transparent solution. It also called for timely progress on housing schemes and proper facilitation of people affected by stalled or discontinued projects.