Zubair Qureshi
In continuation of Anti-Benami (Unclaimed) drive launched by Prime Minister in August, 2019, Benami Zone, Islamabad has provisionally attached 10,384 kanals benami land in village Moorat, Tehsil Fateh Jang, District Attock.
This is the second biggest case of benami property framed by Benami Zone-Islamabad in terms of land area.
According to details, prior to this case, Benami Zone-I, Islamabad on provision of information by the Commissioner Rawalpindi Division, filed the biggest case on benami land in Pakistan involving more than 50,000 kanals and also won it from adjudicating authority and now pending before appellate tribunal.
In the present case, a formal show-cause notice has been issued to the benamidars, beneficial owner and concerned parties.
Besides, notice for provisional attachment of land has also been issued to the Deputy Commissioner, Attock to avert any attempt of transfer of land.
Under the provisional attachment order, the benamidar cannot transfer the land in any other name and after the issuance of show cause notice and hearing the parties, investigation will be concluded and reference filed before the adjudicating authority by the Initiating Officer who is deputy commissioner from Inland Revenue Service.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had in August, 2019 directed all the revenue authorities of all the provinces to provide information/ evidence on suspected benami properties.
Consequent to that directive, Deputy Commissioner Attock forwarded information/ evidence on this suspected benami property to Benami Zone-I, Islamabad in September, 2019 and after detailed investigation by the zonal authorities by collecting relevant evidence and summoning different parties and recording their statements issued show-cause notice and provisional attachment order of suspected benami land measuring 10,384 kanals.
So far, Benami Zone-I, Islamabad has attached land of more than 71,000 kanals in different localities and filed forty one references on benami assets.
Besides land cases, Benami Zone-Islamabad has also filed fifteen references on luxury vehicles and confiscated one Range Rover in June, 2021 which is now the property of Federal Government of Pakistan and case has been moved to Secretary Cabinet to place it before the federal cabinet to take decision on its disposal under Rule 11 of Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Rules, 2019 which is awaited.
