QUETTA -  The Balochistan National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorised an inquiry into the irregularities committed in allotment of valuable state land in Gwadar, a port city of Balochistan, hosting the multibillion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects.

Irregularities worth Rs70 billion had been had been detected in costly state land of Gwadar where influential persons had got allotted 3,167 acre land through fraudulent means.

“Some persons having the patronage of influential people allegedly got allotted some 3,167 acre of expensive state land worth Rs70 billion in Gwadar, which is central to CPEC,” a NAB press release explained.

At the very initial state of inquiry into scam of Gwadar state lands, it was revealed that the private persons in collusion with some influential people and revenue authorities got transferred about 12,000 acres of land in Gwadar fraudulently, notwithstanding, the state land was restored to its earlier position after the scandal unveiled.

Later, High Court also upheld the decision of settlement officer and directed SBMR court for hearing and determining of necessary boundaries of the land.

Afterwards, the said mafia once again became active and approached revenue authorities for the award of 3,167 acre of land, out of said 12,000 acres.

The revenue authorities illegally issued a judicial order in favour of respondent and allotted 3,167 acres of state land to the private persons. However, the orders of SMBR were challenged by government before full bench of board of revenue which suspended the order of SMBR, the initial NAB inquiry report uncovered.  

In view of corruption and corrupt practices of the land mafia, the bureau had ratified an inquiry into the allegation of illegal allotment of state land to private persons.

The port city, also popularly dubbed as jewel of the CPEC, has been in limelight for land grabbing of the state since the project was formally launched and land mafia had become more active in allotting valuable state properties in the city which is going to turn into an economic hub in future.