KARACHI:
The controversy surrounding alleged construction on land carved out of Hill Park has taken a dramatic turn, with Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab revealing that the disputed plot at the center of the case does not appear in the original PECHS layout plan, while Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) officials claim that a forged No Objection Certificate (NOC) was used in an attempt to legitimize the development.
The latest findings emerged during an ongoing KMC investigation into construction activities on land adjacent to Hill Park, one of Karachi’s most prominent public recreational areas. Officials say the investigation has raised serious questions about the authenticity of ownership documents, the legal status of the disputed plot and possible attempts to mislead government authorities.
According to Mayor Wahab, people involved in the construction presented lease and ownership documents purportedly issued by the Pakistan Employees Cooperative Housing Society (PECHS). However, a review of the official records revealed that the plot in PECHS Block 6 – the one cited in the documents – does not exist in the society’s original approved layout plan. “The land records currently under audit have not been able to establish the existence of the disputed land in the original layout,” the mayor said, adding that the KMC has never allotted any part of the Hill Park land to any individual or organization. He noted that as per a 1974 government notification, the Hill Park covers approximately 56 acres and remains public land under the jurisdiction of the KMC. If investigations determine that the PECHS layout has been illegally altered or that Hill Park land has been encroached upon, legal action will be taken against those responsible.
The mayor said investigations and inquiries continue to establish the full facts of the case, including the examination of documents that investigators suspect may have been fabricated.
As part of the investigation, Wahab released copies of documents circulated by parties claiming ownership rights over the disputed land. The document bears signatures attributed to retired Lt Col Naseemuddin through his lawyer, retired Major AM Waqar.
The agreement claims that a residential plot of 500 square meters was allotted as per a decision of the society’s management committee, with an initial premium of just Rs seven per plot. However, KMC officials claim that if the plot itself cannot be placed in the original planning scheme, the legal validity of all subsequent ownership and transfer documents becomes questionable.
The investigation has also revealed what KMC officials describe as an attempt to blackmail the Hill Park authorities by using a forged NOC.
According to official records, a fake NOC dated April 21 was allegedly circulated in an attempt to justify construction activities near the park. Following complaints, the KMC’s Land Department wrote to the Director General of Parks on April 28 and formally informed him that the document was fraudulent.
Officials said that after the forged NOC was identified, people associated with the disputed land approached the KMC Land Department seeking official approval. In response, the department issued a conditional NOC on April 30. The document expressly prohibited any construction on state-owned land or within the park’s boundaries.
The investigation further revealed that on May 18, the KMC’s Land Department wrote to the secretary of PECHS seeking ownership details of the land. The letter identified Sohail Iqbal Siddiqui as the purported owner of the plot and Syed Wajahat Hussain as the holder of the power of attorney.
The KMC has now formally approached the SSP East seeking legal action against persons allegedly involved in misleading public institutions.
