Punjab ACE retrieves precious state land from illegal occupation

LAHORE: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Punjab claimed to have retrieved illegally occupied precious pieces of state-owned land in Sahiwal, Rahim Yar Khan, and Rajanpur, ARY News reported.

According to ACE officials, the department retrieved 21 kanal of commercial land whose value has been estimated at around Rs1.5 billion from illegal occupation in Sahiwal, while 322 kanal and 12 marla land was cleared of encroachment in Rahim Yar Khan.

The Anti-Corruption Establishment also retrieved a piece of land worth more than Rs303 million in Rajanpur.

On Sept 4,  the ACE had claimed recovery of property worth Rs. 5.22 billion in a graft case. “The historic recovery made in the shape of land from a Dera Ghazi Khan housing scheme,” Director General Anti Corruption Punjab Gohar Nafees said.

Around 261 kanal of land was transferred to D.G. Khan Municipal Corporation from the housing scheme, the official said.

The recovered land has market value to the tune of 5.22 billion rupees, D.G. Anti Corruption said. The recovered land will be used for public places in the society, according to the anti-corruption official.

Anti Corruption Department Punjab was inquiring into the housing society land scam for last two years, he added.