Staff Report

LAHORE: Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz has directed the secretary of Minerals Department to hold an inquiry, into an irregular lease of three different pieces of land totalling 646 acres in Attock, which contain huge reserves of quality limestone.

He directed the secretary to cancel further auction of lands, and submit a report regarding the matter in one week.
Daily Times has learnt that Riaz took notice of the issue on the complaint of Muhammad Tahir Ayyub of Taxila.

Sources said, that Tahir had alleged that Malik Akhtar Javed, director general Mines and Mineral Department and Director Administration Chaudhry Aslam illegally leased out the said land.

Tahir said that the three pieces of land measuring 94, 273 and 279 acres respectively, situated in Hassan Abdal, had been leased out to a single person Majeed Niazi, which is against the rules.

According to Tahir, Niazi has “close relations” with DG Malik and he had bid for the land under different names.

The complaint also points out further irregularities in the matter, namely that the 273 and 279 acres of land had been leased out for Rs 2,300,000 and Rs 2,400,000 respectively, while the land measuring 94 acres only was leased out for Rs 11,200,000.