Musharraf doled out 10,000 kanals of land to civilians

ISLAMABAD: Former dictator General (R) Pervez Musharraf had doled out over 10,000 kanals of military land meant for war veterans and families of martyred soldiers to front men of some of his political opponents, non-entitled army men and dozens of civilian officials including his cook, barber, butler, gunmen and other members of his personal staff.
However, this controversial allotment of martyred families’ land to non-entitled persons could not be undone as yet despite NAB as well as Punjab government’s request to the GHQ during General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani term to undo the wrong.Similarly no action has been initiated against General Musharraf for distributing huge bulk of military land in violation of rules, merit and law.
Over 10,000 kanals of military land in Punjab and KP provinces was allotted to non-entitled civilians and soldiers by the GHQ following orders from the then Army Chief General Pervez Musharraf. Over two dozen of staff members and officials attached with Musharraf during his stay in Presidency were also allotted hundreds of kanals of military land.
In case of the allotment of 6,700 kanals of military land in the Punjab to 47 civilian officials of the provincial government during Musharraf’s rule, a reference was made to the military authorities by the Shahbaz Sharif government to cancel the anomalous transfer. However, no decision has been taken as yet on the issue.
With regard to the land given to non-military personnel including front men of a few politicians in Dera Ismail Khan during the Musharraf regime, it was admitted by the military spokesman during General Kayani’s tenure that the allotments had no legal sanction but despite this flagrant illegality committed by the military dictator and former president, corrective measures have not been taken.
In Punjab 47 civilian officials (mostly belonging to the Revenue Department) were allotted 6,700 kanals of military land during Musharraf’s regime. Most of these officials were made OSD by the Shahbaz Sharif government during his last term. The Punjab government also formally approached the military authorities to get the controversial allocations cancelled.
The Punjab government was of the view that the civilian beneficiaries have been rewarded for going beyond the call of duty in facilitating the entire process.The Punjab government also believed that if at all some part of the military land was required to be allotted to civilian officials by the GHQ, it should be done through the provincial government instead of making such allotments directly.
Musharraf also gifted thousands of kanals of military land in Punjab to dozens of people who had been serving him well during his long stay in the Presidency. On Musharraf’s orders, not only such land was allotted to his cook, barber, butler and gunmen, but to all members of his personal staff. A vast majority of such Army men were not entitled to get this benefit but they were still favoured because the man who ruled Pakistan as his personal fiefdom and ruined every state institution, desired so without any fear of being questioned or held accountable.
In regard to controversial allotments of military lands in D I Khan, the NAB in 2010-11 approached the GHQ for the cancellation of military land to civilian persons but there has been neither any response nor any action taken to revoke Musharraf’s orders.
According to the NAB’s investigations, the allotment of military land during Musharraf’s tenure in 2004 to the civilians in DI Khan was an illegal act and against the terms and conditions set for the allotment of such lands. Thousands of kanals of military land was allotted, including 1,200 kanals to front men of two top leaders of a political party.
In addition to the allotment made as political bribe, a senior member of the Board of Revenue in the KP government was also allotted 400 kanals while his successor got 200 kanals of the same land for their role in this highly controversial allotment.
In D I Khan certain revenue officials were also allotted land by the GHQ for their cooperation in the allotment of land by the provincial government to the Pakistan Army. These revenue officials include the relevant Collectors - 200 kanal each; Tehsildar - 100 kanal; Superintendent - 100 kanal; Patwaris - 100 kanal each.
In Punjab, a total of 6,700 kanals of military land was allotted in seven districts of the province to 47 civilian officials during the Musharraf dictatorship. These districts include Pakpattan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Rahimyar Khan and Sadiqabad.
Besides concerned revenue officials, the recipient of the military land included the then Secretary to Punjab Governor, almost all key senior and juniors members of the then President’s pesonal staff from senior officers to Qasids Aiwan-e-Sadar/Army House, Naib Qasid Aiwan-e-Sadar/Army House, Mali Aiwan-e-Sadar/Army House and civil cook Aiwan-e-Sadar/Army House. Besides some of the genuine allotments made to some military officials attached with Musharraf as his personal staff a number of brigadiers, colonels, majors and even captains were allotted military land meant for martyred families. Fifteen to 20 gunmen of Musharraf’s security were also amongst the beneficiaries of the military land.
Musharraf had doled out hundreds of acres of agriculture state land to over 70 employees of the Aiwan-e-Sadr and revenue officials of the respective districts where the land was allotted during his stay in the office of the head of the state. The agriculture land allotted by Musharraf to his staff members varied from plot size 12.5 acres to 30 acres per person. Most of this land allotted belongs to Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Dera Ismail Khan.
The lucky allottees include several revenue officials of these districts. It is said that they were given the plots for the reason that the land allotted to Presidency officials should be taken care of.