Karachi, March 18, 2025 – Following complaints from the Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) regarding land grabbing and encroachments, relief has begun for ABAD members, builders, and developers under the directives of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. The relief is being provided through a steering committee formed by Sindh Chief Minister.
In the first phase, out of 22 cases filed by ABAD against land encroachments and land-grabbing mafias, 14 cases were fully investigated. Anti-corruption inquiries were ordered for two cases, five cases were resolved, and instructions were issued to relevant departments for the remaining cases.
ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakhshi expressed gratitude to Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government, stating that this initiative has restored business confidence. He urged the government to further strengthen the campaign against land grabbing mafias and illegal encroachments.
According to details, on January 29, 2025, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed traders across Sindh and directed Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to resolve business community issues. Acting on this directive, the Chief Minister formed a steering committee led by Provincial Interior Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar to oversee land-grabbing and encroachment issues.
The committee held its first meeting under the chairmanship of Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, with key officials such as the Sindh Home Secretary, Inspector General of Sindh Police, Additional IG Sindh, Chairman Anti-Corruption, Senior Members of Sindh Board of Revenue, ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakhshi, Senior Vice Chairman Syed Afzal Hamid, and representatives from KATI, Karachi Chamber of Commerce, and other trade organizations in attendance.
During the meeting, ABAD’s Syed Afzal Hamid briefed the committee on illegal occupations of ABAD members’ lands, mainly in the districts of East, West, Malir, and Kemari. In response, Minister Lanjar formed a sub-committee led by the Karachi Commissioner and instructed them to present a comprehensive report within 15 days on ABAD’s complaints, legal hurdles, and necessary actions.
At the steering committee’s second meeting, the Karachi Commissioner reported that seven complaints had been resolved after thorough investigations. Further inquiries on other cases are ongoing. Additionally, Minister Lanjar ordered the suspension of the SHO of Gulshan-e-Maymar for facilitating land-grabbing mafias and transferred the Anti-Encroachment Revenue Department Police (West) while initiating an inquiry against them.
The Interior Minister emphasized that while it is not feasible to resolve older cases immediately, certain legal complexities will be addressed to ensure their resolution. Moving forward, any new cases of illegal occupation will be cleared within 24 hours after verifying the necessary legal documents.
ABAD Chairman welcomed this progress, thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and the Sindh government, and called for a more robust anti-encroachment drive. He urged the government to accelerate actions against land-grabbing mafias and ensure a favorable environment for ongoing development projects. He expressed hope that the Sindh government and law enforcement agencies would continue strengthening this initiative to promote legal business activities and restore investor confidence in Karachi and across Sindh
