KARACHI: The Association of Builders and Developers of Pakistan (ABAD) and Central Depository Company Pvt Ltd (CDC) on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for digitalisation of land records through Land Repository System.
ABAD Vice Chairman Abdul Kareem Adhia and CDC CEO Badiuddin Akber signed the MoU, which was witnessed by ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakshi, CDC Chairman Moin M Fudda, ABAD Senior Vice Chairman Anwar Dawood and Southern Region Chairman Ibrahim Habib.
Addressing the ceremony, Moin M Fudda congratulated ABAD for undertaking such a gigantic task. He said that electronic registration of land documents would help abolish possibilities of fraud and corruption.
“This system will not only help the purchaser of property but will also ensure growth of the national economy, as it will abolish corrupt practices prevalent in the offices of registrars,” the CDC chairman said, adding that almost 60pc of cases in various courts are related to land frauds.
He pointed out that every third person in Sindh has been a victim of land fraud and that the new electronic registration system (Land Repository System) will eliminate such impediments.
ABAD Chairman Muhammad Hassan Bakshi said that the association has been striving to promote legal and bona fide construction activities in Pakistan. “Despite accusations of fraud against the builders, 98pc of ABAD members are doing their business legitimately,” he maintained.
Bakshi lamented that the ABAD members are being wrongly accused of illegal construction activities. “More than 5,000 buildings are being constructed illegally and without any approval of competent authority while all members of ABAD are getting approvals before starting construction activities,” he added.
He said that Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister Murtaza Wahab had promised to lend complete support for the legislation of the new land registration system.
I must compliment the Land record Management Authority Punjab some years back, and worked 24 hours. The World Bank Group was very keen to assist Karachi for long time, as corruption was to the maximum with thousands of issues with the enforcement tenders were floated by the Government of Sindh for local development, nothing happened. The WBG should essentially be discussed how effectively this be used from the same network as in Lahore available on line in Karachi. Accessible only to CDC which again is an internationally accredited body with multi-lateral bodies. This way it could be instantly initiated without delay, corruption, tender, and giving rights to ABAD for the decision. NAB should play an important role in this transaction. The early record of housing complexes in Karachi should be reviewed as there’s no water supply, road, parking, and huge plaza are built by ABAD.G
I being a experienced professional of GIS and LIS am keenly interested to know the details of this project.