KARACHI: In a major crackdown on land grabbers, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has formally approached top Sindh government officials, seeking detailed records of state land encroachments across the province.
This initiative is part of a sweeping, countrywide drive aimed at dismantling illegal encroachment networks and recovering land valued in the trillions of rupees. Sources within NAB confirmed this to The News.
The directive, issued by NAB’s Islamabad headquarters, has been sent to the Chief Secretary (CS) Sindh, Chairman of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT), Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sindh, and the Senior Member Board of Revenue (SMBR), Sindh. They have been instructed to submit detailed reports on all inquiries and investigations into encroachments. The reports must include maps, ownership records, and lists of identified violators.
In this context, NAB sources told The News that a specialised ‘Land Directorate’ has been established at NAB’s headquarters to coordinate investigations, legal actions, and recovery operations. “This is not just about Sindh; it’s a national imperative,” said a senior NAB official on condition of anonymity. “Directives have been dispatched to all provincial authorities across Pakistan. This signals the start of a coordinated anti-encroachment campaign. The goal is to enforce strict legal measures against those who have unlawfully seized state land, ensuring its retrieval for public use and development.”
The move comes amid growing concern over the rampant misuse of state lands.
This has cost the government billions in lost revenue and worsened issues such as urban sprawl, environmental degradation, and housing shortages.
NAB estimates that encroached land in Sindh alone could be worth trillions of rupees. This echoes past recoveries, where NAB—working with provincial bodies—reclaimed forest land valued at over Rs3.6 trillion.
A senior officer of the Sindh Board of Revenue told The News that land encroachments in Sindh are deeply entrenched. The issue is rooted in Pakistan’s colonial-era land laws, rapid urbanisation, and systemic corruption. Laws like Land Acquisition Act of 1894 and the Sindh Tenancy Act of 1950 have created ambiguities in land management. These loopholes have been exploited by powerful individuals, land mafias, and even government insiders.
Karachi, Sindh’s bustling metropolis, has long been a safe haven for illegal encroachments on both state and private land. Over the decades, informal settlements, commercial developments, and agricultural encroachments have spread across state-owned lands. These include ports, forests, and waterways. Economically, encroachments fuel a shadow economy. Influential figures—including politicians, builders, and developers—have been implicated in numerous scandals. The Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD) recently lodged complaints against land grabbing mafias. This has triggered investigations into 22 cases.
Sindh government officials have not yet formally responded to NAB. However, sources indicate that compliance is expected within weeks. NAB’s Land Directorate will analyse the submissions, initiate inquiries, and pursue prosecutions under the National Accountability Ordinance. Similar directives have also been issued to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan, signalling a unified federal push to reclaim state land across the country.
