Karachi—Land Mafia has illegally occupied land owned by National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) located in the area of Manghoo Pir and demolished boundary wall from 3 sides which was built under the orders of Sindh High Court (SHC).

NBP owns about 40 acres land in plot Survey No 136, 137 and 138 which has been illegally occupied by land mafia.

SHC ordered that the land be got vacated from land mafia and right of ownership be secured by erecting boundary wall. But due to lack of seriousness of local police the matter still stands shelved.

It has been learnt that NBP came to know in 2011 land mafia had occupied illegally some parts of its land. Bank authorities provided documents related to its ownership rights of land to Mangho Pir police on June 21 besides filing application with police that their land be got vacated from land mafia.

NBP again reminded police on July, 6, 2011 and requested them to take action against illegal occupants. But police took no step. Bank authorities also wrote a letter to SP Anti Encroachment Irfan Bahadar on July, 12.

A team of NBP along with security guards visited the land on August 1 but the land mafia opened indiscriminate fire upon them. Maj Nasir security incharge of bank was critically injured in the firing who was shifted to Abbasi hospital immediately. Its FIR was lodged on August, 2.

Bank sources told that due to lack of interest on the part of police, Bank authorities filed an application with SHC on July, 20 in connection with recovery of their land from illegal possession of land mafia. The court directed SHO Mangho Pir to cooperate with bank authorities in constructing boundary wall in order to secure the land. Bank management built the wall on August, 16 and appointed private security guards therein. However the criminals equipped with sophisticated arms attacked security guards on August, 29 and held them hostage. They also demolished boundary wall from three sides. Sources told the land was still under occupation of land mafia and the local police had mad no efforts for recovery of it from their illegal possession.