What exactly is 'china cutting'?

China cutting is basically an illegal way of carving out big amenity plots, community centres, government plots, parks or even cemeteries into smaller plots up to 100 yards or below each and sale them.

For instance, carving 100, 80 or 60 yards plots from a single plot of 500 yards is called ‘china cutting.

Hundreds of amenity plots in Karachi’s different areas including North Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Korangi and Gulistan-e-Jauhar have been reduced to smaller plots through china cutting.

A popular Bagh-e-Korangi once used to be a park for public, but it has now been converted into residential colony.

The term china cutting is very popular among real estate developers and agents who often refer to these lands as “china plots” with each other.

‘China cutting’ also drew large public attention in recent days after Rangers mentioned this term in its report on Karachi crimes.

The report said, “Rs230 billion being is being generated annually from Karachi’s citizens through extortion, smuggling of Iranian diesel, water supply and land-grabbing (china cutting in particular).”