ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday summoned National Police Foundation (NPF) incumbent and former chairmen Anjum Aqeel Khan, a PML-N parliamentarian and owner of M/s Land Linkers regarding Rs 6 billion land scam and directed them file comprehensive statements about the allegations made against them till June 15, 2011. The court observed that it was a case where protection to the property of NPF and allotees had not been provided therefore, case might be registered under Article 184 (3) of the Constitution.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry took a suo moto action on a news report that ‘a confidential inquiry was submitted to the interior secretary that Khan, was involved in a Rs 6 billion land scam in which he was aided by four former NPF officials including former managing director (MD). The CJP demanded report from the Interior Secretary within two weeks. The Interior Secretary, following the directions, submitted the report stating that Khan was involved in Rs 6 billion land scam in which NPS’ former MD and other officials were also involved. After going through the report, the apex court called for comprehensive follow up report from interior secretary and NPF chairman.
The report was submitted on June 6, stating that a number of serious irregularities were found committed by senior position holders of NPF showing the gross negligence and incompetency in process of procurement at different times. All the officers of NPF, who had committed irregularities in the procurement of land, had either been retired from the service or left the organization. All the agreements made for the procurement of land at all times were vague in nature and they did not contain any final cut off date for the supply of land and settlement accounts by NPF with M/s Land Linkers.
The report further narrated that the land procured through M/s Land Linkers was neither finally quantified by the previous administration of NPF till 2010 nor any effort was made to resolve the issues of shortage of land/rendition of accounts with M/s Land Linkers.It recounted that Khan arranged and agreement between Tahir Mehmood Khan etc and NPF to pay off the liability of Rs 363 million approximately to the 59 affecttees after a period of 11 years. The present outstanding liability of Khan was 126 kanal.
Khan had submitted undertaking to pay off the price of this land after determination of its worth by the committee of Administration of NPF. Audits were held every year, the affiliation transactions were never audited for stated reasons that nothing was paid to Khan. Further, during the course of this enquiry, long outstanding issues/disputes of NPF is been resolved and NPF has been benefited with the colossal amount of Rs 6 billion approximately in shape of land. The CJP noted that, “A perusal of report indicated that a considerable amount belonged to allottees of the plots. NPF and employees of the Police had not been counted completely. Even now the matter is being postponed for June 15 on the basis of undertaking etc. by the owners of M/s Land Linkers from whom the property was purchased”.
