MULTAN: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has authorised an inquiry against officials of Zilla Council and Land Revenue departments of Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur in connection with alleged embezzlement in revenue collection.
According to a NAB press release, millions of rupees had been embezzled by the officials of Zilla Council/ Revenue Department in management of affairs of Sardar Kauray Khan Trust.Sardar Kauray Khan was a landlord in the late 19th century who had donated 82,753-kanal and 14-marla land in 1894. The land was transferred to local fund (now Zilla Council) in 1897.
Of this land, 72,149 kanals is situated in district Muzaffargarh and 10,604 kanals and 11 marlas in district Rajanpur jurisdiction. Initially, the case was taken up by the Anti-Corruption Establishment, Muzaffargarh, but no action was taken.
As per classified register, revenue collected between 1985 and 2013 (28 years) is shown as Rs 80 million, whereas revenue collected after documentation of Sardar Kauray Khan lands, between May 2013 and June 2016 (3 years) is Rs 81 million.
The revenue record, record of allotted/leased lands and details of officials, pertaining to collection of revenue and management of lands was demanded by NAB Multan, which was not provided by the authorities concerned with an excuse that revenue record, land record and officials record cannot be found or is not available with them.
