8,085 acres of land recovered from 36 PML-N members, Shahzad Akbar claims

Through the government's efforts, 8,085 acres of land have been recovered from 36 PML-N members, Adviser to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Accountability Shahzad Akbar claimed on Sunday.

He claimed that in the last two-and-a-half years, Rs210bn worth of recoveries have been made and of  the amount, Rs24bn came from 36 PML-N members.

"This is the reality behind the hue and cry being raised by the PML-N," the premier's adviser said during a press conference in Islamabad.

He spoke of the land razed by the Lahore Development Authority where the Khokhar brothers had established "Khokhar Palace". "They had grabbed land belonging to the government worth Rs1.5bn," he said.

He said that besides the recovery from the Khokhars, land worth Rs92.5 million was also taken back from Khurram Dastagir, "which has been turned into a public park".

Akbar said what remains now is for the government to collect "penal rent" worth Rs5 billion.

Discussing further recoveries, he said that land worth Rs7 billion was taken back from Chaudhry Tanveer and worth Rs2.5 billion from Daniyal Aziz.

Moreover, 8 kanals 2 marlas of government land were recovered from Javed Latif; land worth Rs2 billion was taken back from Abid Sher Ali; and 70 acres of land worth millions was also recovered from Maiza Hameed's husband, he said.

Among other leaders he named, according to Radio Pakistan are Mudasar Qayum Nahra, and Mir Badshah Qaisrani.

Akbar said that a common man cannot "occupy government lands" and that these are "powerful people".

He said these recoveries "were not an easy task" but Punjab government's performance over the past two-and-a-half years has been "excellent".

The premier's adviser said all the land taken back was either forest land or agricultural and will be put to use for the welfare of the people.

He said work is underway to raze an "illegal plaza" in Sialkot, adding that Khwaja Asif "has also occupied a housing society".

Akbar, recalling the PML-N's rule, said that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif "promoted Changa Manga politics" and "politics of money" at the time.

He said this is why the Supreme Court of Pakistan had used the word "mafia" in its judgment when Nawaz was disqualified.

The premier's adviser said that if one were to ask Nawaz what his ideology is, "he won't be able to answer".

Correction: An earlier version of the story erroneously stated that recoveries worth Rs210bn have been made from 36 PML-N members. The error is regretted.