Hyderabad: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) arrested Hyderabad Development Authority (HAD) Chief Planner Iqbal Memon and HDA Deputy Director Planning and Development Abdul Manan Sheikh on January 13.
According to a news source, the officials were arrested in connection with the illegal transfer of 2,800 acres of land in the Gulistan-i-Sarmast scheme to a private party in Karachi for developmental purposes. Allegedly, the allotment was made to a powerful party without approval from HDA’s governing body.
Reportedly, the Sindh government gave the authority 5,000 acres of land for the Gulistan-i-Sarmast scheme, which HAD was unable to fully develop. Outgoing Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Fayyaz Jatoi said HDA had only paid for 1,200 acres, but according to the authority, it was developing land on a deferred payment basis and planned to pay the Sindh government in due time.
This transfer was criticised by Outgoing Hyderabad Division Commissioner Asif Haider Shah as well.
The bureau also plans to interrogate HDA Deputy General Noor Muhammad Leghari, who is also the secretary of the provincial government’s livestock and fisheries department.
