KARACHI: President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) Shamim Ahmed Firpo has highly criticized the Chairman Evacuee Trust Properties Board (ETPB) Siddiq ul Farooque for misusing powers and favoring the illegal occupants of rooms situated in KCCI building.
In a statement issued, Shamim Firpo said that these illegal occupants in connivance with Evacuee Trust filed a totally false and fabricated reference before its Chairman Siddiq ul Farooque of PML (N) against KCCI with an only intention to further linger the proceedings and it was a matter of grave concern that Chairman ETPB is trying his level best to support and save them.
President KCCI pointed out that the Karachi Chamber initiated legal action against illegal occupants of its premises almost a year ago and some cases have been decided in favor of KCCI whereas few other cases are currently underway at the honorable court but as these illegal occupants, who are being led by ex-Senator of PML-N Khawaja Qutubuddin, feared that the courts may also give decisions in favor of KCCI, they joined hands with ETPB officials and under their instigation, Evacuee Trust Properties Board filed reference before its Chairman Siddiq ul Farooque of PML(N) against KCCI and it was a matter of grave concern that they are receiving preferential treatment by ETPB because of their association with the ruling party of PML-N.
He informed that some of these illegal occupants, who had one to two rooms some 40 years ago according to records maintained by KCCI, have gradually occupied 12 to 17 rooms and are not paying any rent against these rooms. In fact, these culprits can be termed as ‘Qabza Mafia’ of Chamber’s property.
He mentioned that the Honorable Court of VII-Rent Controller Karachi South recently ordered three illegal occupants of KCCI premises namely Khawaja Qutubuddin, Mr. Rizwan and National Bank of Pakistan to hand over the illegally occupied premises to Karachi Chamber within 60 days. The cases against the said three illegal occupants were filed by Karachi Chamber for ejectment from KCCI premises which were continuously heard on various dates and the final judgment/ order was issued on April 27, 2017 in favor of Karachi Chamber.
President KCCI further informed that in order to bring the wrongdoings of ETB Chairman to Prime Minister’s notice, a detailed letter was issued on 8th March 2017 and copies of the same were sent to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair and Chairman ETPB Siddique ul Farooque but nobody bothered to take any action or this letter was deliberately not presented to the Prime Minister, which left no other option but to share the letter with the media after lapse of 4 months in order to acquaint the Prime Minister about what exactly PML-N politicians have been doing, which is not only resulting in intensifying problems for the business and industrial community but is also creating a bad image of PML-N.
Shamim Firpo, in his letter to Prime Minister, informed that the illegal occupants led by Khawaja Qutubuddin and the proceedings by the Chairman ETPB have explicitly given the impression that they are linked being the members of PML(N) and they will get the decision of their choice/ favor.
“Chairman ETPB in connivance with the illegal occupants is using his office to save them from legal action and ejection and helping them to avoid action through court and police. In the said circumstances, we do not expect justice from the Chairman Evacuee Trust Siddiqul Farooque”, he said, adding that Karachi Chamber is not the property of Evacuee Property Trust Board but this property belongs to Karachi Chamber and its members which was decided in early 50s and the evidences about the same are available with KCCI management.
Seeking Prime Minister’s assistance in dealing with this issue, President KCCI demanded that Chairman ETPB should be directed to stop the frivolous proceedings initiated by Evacuee Trust Properties Board upon instigation by the illegal occupants.
