3,182 kanals of ETPB land still occupied despite invalid transfers

Islamabad: More than 3,182 kanals of federally owned Evacuee Trust Property Board land in Attock still has not been restored in government ownership records even after the transfers were declared invalid. The Ministry of Religious Affairs told a parliamentary committee that local revenue authorities allegedly failed to cooperate despite repeated requests.

The Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony reviewed the disputed transfer of ETPB land to private occupants under a Punjab provincial law. The issue was raised through a question by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, who sought details about how federally owned trust property was transferred and what action had been taken to restore ownership.

The committee was informed that 1,907 kanals of ETPB land in Mouza Neeka had allegedly been transferred to occupants. Another 1,275 kanals and 12 marlas of ETPB land in Mouza Ameer Khan, Tehsil Fateh Jang, District Attock, had also allegedly been transferred.

Together, the disputed properties amount to more than 3,182 kanals of land. According to the Ministry of Religious Affairs briefing, the transfers were unauthorised. The ministry alleged that the occupants obtained ownership rights through the connivance of local revenue officials.

The briefing did not identify the individual revenue officials allegedly responsible in the material provided to the committee. The committee was also told that the ETPB Chairman had already declared the transfers invalid under the Evacuee Trust Property Management and Disposal Act.

That decision was later upheld by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony. However, the land has still not been restored in the revenue record under the name of ETPB or the Federal Government.

According to the briefing, ETPB field offices in Hassanabdal and Attock repeatedly contacted the concerned revenue authorities in an effort to restore federal ownership. Despite those written requests, the ownership record had not been corrected.

The ministry blamed the delay on alleged non cooperation by local revenue authorities. The ministry also clarified that there was no evidence of internal involvement. It told the committee that no ETPB official was found involved in the disputed transfers.

According to the official briefing, the occupants succeeded in obtaining ownership rights through the alleged connivance of local revenue staff rather than ETPB employees. The case has raised questions about how federally owned religious trust property could be transferred through a provincial law and why the land has not been restored even after the transfers were officially declared invalid.

The disputed property belongs to the Evacuee Trust Property Board, which manages properties connected with religious trusts and heritage assets. The committee took serious note of the continuing problem and discussed the need to protect federal ownership of ETPB properties.

Members were also concerned about the failure to update the official revenue record despite earlier administrative decisions against the transfers. The case now centres on restoration of legal ownership in government records and accountability for officials, if any, found responsible for facilitating the disputed transfers.

The committee directed the concerned authorities to continue pursuing the ETPB land matter and bring further clarification before it in subsequent proceedings.

The controversy is likely to remain under parliamentary scrutiny until the land is restored to ETPB or the Federal Government and responsibility for the allegedly unauthorised transfers is clearly determined.