NAB takes notice of multibillion rupee encroachment of KPT, PQA lands
1. Senior NAB official says Bureau is already focusing on encroachment of state land in Karachi
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has taken notice of a report by The News exposing the encroachment of 1,448 acres of Karachi Port Trust (KPT) land and 30 acres of Port Qasim Authority (PQA) land, valued at tens of billions of rupees.
The anti-corruption watchdog has requested further details from the reporter to initiate a formal inquiry into the matter.
A senior NAB official confirmed that the Bureau has been actively investigating illegal occupation of state land in Karachi, having previously recovered Rs3,000 billion worth of forest land in Sindh. Once NAB Karachi verifies the facts, a formal investigation will be launched to address the encroachments on KPT and PQA lands.
According to The News, the encroached land includes some of Karachi’s most valuable coastal real estate. Alarmingly, a large portion of it is reportedly occupied with the backing of politicians from ruling parties, while 350 acres have allegedly been taken over by the Sindh government itself.
Sources from the Defence Ministry informed The News that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was made aware of the issue as part of broader efforts to revamp Pakistan’s maritime sector. The encroachments have deprived the federal government of significant revenue and hindered port development.
In response, authorities, including the Rangers, have been directed to reclaim the encroached land and ensure it is used for port-related activities. Officials stress that retrieving this land could significantly boost Pakistan’s maritime economy and generate much-needed revenue.
NAB’s involvement aligns with its ongoing crackdown on land encroachments in Karachi. The Bureau has already recovered massive tracts of illegally occupied land in Sindh, and the KPT and PQA cases are now in focus. Once NAB Karachi verifies the details, a formal probe will identify those responsible for the illegal occupation, including politicians and government officials suspected of facilitating the encroachments.
The case highlights how valuable state assets are being misused, costing the national exchequer billions of rupees.
