ISLAMABAD
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB), to some extent, has become a hurdle in the development of Gwadar, as investors of real estate and owners of residential plots are faced with uncertainty, it was learnt.
Surprisingly, the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) had granted permission to sell more than 16 thousand and nine hundred acres of land and initiate development work over there. However, investors of real estate and owners of residential plots are faced with uncertainty and harassment ostensibly due to the notices sent to them by NAB Quetta.
And, as a result, real estate business and development work on industrial, commercial zones and of housing schemes have stopped at Gwadar port city.
Available documents disclosed to Pakistan Today show that the GDA has issued No Objection Certificate (NOC) to sell 14 thousand acres of land for 77 housing schemes and advised to start development work. Similarly, the authority (GDA) granted permission to initiate sale purchase of plots and begin development work at the site on two thousand and two hundred seventy-four acres of land allocated for 16 industrial schemes besides the development of 299 acres of land allotted for commercial schemes at Gwadar.
Sources at GDA said that most of the real estate investors and owners of plots who fulfil all legal requirements/obligation are faced with uncertainty apparently due to the measure was so far taken by NAB ostensibly to save the investment of the investors.
They said NAB Quetta has been causing troubles for real estate investment and development work at Gwadar. The Bureau is used to become very active as and when the business of real estate commences at Gawadar. It (NAB Quetta) is used to send strange notices to real estate investors and owners of plots besides launching campaigns against the fraud housing schemes, which has been badly affecting the real estate business and hampering the development work at Gawadar, said sources.
The sources were of the view that NAB has been causing troubles in the development work and real estate business at Gawadar only to save the business of an ongoing big housing project at Karachi. They said the businessmen involved in import and export business and those who are interested to establish a business at Gawadar city are facing residence problems.
Following the launch of the above $ 57 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), business through Gawadar port has started in a speedy manner. Local and foreign investors are eying Gawadar and they are found keen to invest in exploring new opportunities. But, shortage of standard residence has been causing problems for the investors and businessmen and became a big challenge for planners of this city, sources opined.
Available documents with this scribe further transpire that NAB (Balochistan) Assistant Director (Coord) Umair Ahmed Rather, has sent call up notices to two former senior members of board of revenue (SMBR) to appear before the NAB and participate in the inquiry against the transfer of 3167 acres of state land to private persons. It is vital to mention here that the same notices which were sent to the said two officials, also informed that an inquiry officer of NAB will inquire about illegal appointments in Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO).
Documents also informed that NAB Quetta has also sent a notice to the deputy commissioner Gawadar to provide record u/s 19 of NAO, 1999 to the bureau latest by September 15, 2017. The DC has been asked to provide the record of sale and purchase of the land out of 3167 acres right from the time (March 4, 2016) when the land in question was extended to the private persons. “Furthermore, sale/purchase agreement and copies of mutations or any other documents regarding 3167 acres land along with concise report covering all the details may also be provided,” said NAB’s notice dated August 25, 2017.
When Pakistan Today tried to contact with NAB spokesperson to get official stance of NAB, he neither replied to the text messages nor picked up the repeated phone calls made by the scribe. Resultantly, all efforts remained in vain to get NAB’s stand on the important matter of national interest.
