This is kind of funny if you know about Lt. Gen (R) Javid Nasir ex ISI chief. He was very big in Tableeghi Jamaat. The story speaks for itself.
Again may Allha protect Pakistan.
Ex-ETPB chief flees country with Rs 3bn in pocket
By MAK Lodhi
LAHORE: Lt Gen (retd) Javed Nasir, former chairman of the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) and once an ISI chief, has fled the country Pakistan after devouring an estimated sum of Rs 3 billion through sale of precious ETPB lands at rock bottom prices and financial bungling in the board’s buildings in Islamabad.
The ex-chairman relinquished his charge on July 16, 2001, as he was not accorded extension in service. Since then, files containing record of his corruption have been rotting in the cupboards of the ministry of religious affairs and NAB.
Out of about 20 land deals, The News probed eight huge ones. About five kanals and 16 marlas of land known as RGA factory on main Ferozepur Road, Lahore was sold for Rs 348,000 while the land is worth Rs 45 million in the market.
About 23 acres of prime land located in Malir Karachi were sold to a private builder and property developer at Rs 5.60 million at the rate of Rs 61 per square yard. The market value of the land is estimated to be Rs 267 million at the rate of Rs 2,900 per sq yd.
Another 916 kanals at Bhaikot, Lahore, were allotted to eleven different persons during Gen Javed Nasir’s last three days in the office, causing a loss of Rs 243 million. Another big chunk of 48 kanals of land located on the main Super Highway, Karachi was sold to Nazi (pvt) Ltd for Rs 48 million at Rs 2000 per sq yd. The land is worth Rs 240 million and could easily sell at Rs 10,000 per sq yd. Incidentally, the company was already ETPB defaulter.
Another 100 kanals of prime land located on Raiwind Road, Lahore, WERE sold for Rs 46 million at Rs 460,000 per kanal against its market value of Rs 90 million. It was sold without holding open auction. After its allotment, the same land was re-sold at double the price.
Another prized land piece of 38.18 kanals located at Tulspura (near Baghbanpura), close of Lahore canal, was sold at Rs 4.86 million at the rate of Rs 6,240 per marla. The market value of the land is said to be Rs 31.12 million at the rate of Rs 40,000 per marla. To sell the land to Mohammad Nadeem, was was declared that open auction brought no customer.
One of the most luring sites was 167 kanals of land located between the new Lahore Airport and Defence Housing Society. It was sold for Rs 8.01 million at the rate of Rs 48,000 per kanal. The land holds excellent commercial prospects and can be developed and sold at even higher rates. At the time of its disposal, the land carried a market value of Rs 91.85 million.
The ex-Chairman also leased PASSCO Godown on Maulana Ahmed Ali Road, Qila Lakhsman Singh, Lahore to a low bidder at Rs 1.0 million. The highest bid announced was at Rs 2.5 million but it was arbitrarily rejected by the chairman. The matter was brought to the notice of the federal government and an inquiry was ordered. Occupants of the land were paid Rs 1 million for vacating the place to hush up the matter.
A price gap of Rs 1 billion occurs in the sale of only eight deals. Other deals include six kanals and seven kanals at Lidher, Lahore Cantt. At Mota Singhwala, Lahore, the ex-Chairman sold 96 kanals to one party, 90 to second and 100 kanals to third party.
A number of other precious properties were sold out at throw-away prices in Multan, Rawalpindi and Peshawar also. Huge financial bunglings were carried out by relaxing contractual obligations for building ETPB Complex and Trust Plaza in Islamabad. The ex-Chairman was about to sell the Trust Plaza at a throw-away rates but held back when the Chief Executive intervened himself.
The first inquiry against Lt Gen (retd) Javed Nasir took place in February, 2000, when President’s Office was apprised of the colossal irregularities. As a ‘test case’, inquiry of embezzlement in ETPB Complex and Trust Plaza were initiated. It was found that tiles used in the Complex situated near Marriot Hotel, Islamabad were of inferior quality, no water-proofing on the building top was done, aluminium doors and windows were of as cheap as Rs 150 per sqft against contracted rate of Rs 450 per sqft, curtain walls of Rs 200 per sqft were installed against the contracted quality which cost Rs 600 per sqft. The building was completed in six years instead of contracted period of three years. The technical committee wanted to penalise the contractor but the ex-Chairman, not only ignored it but also advanced an amount of
Rs 20 million. Over and above these favours, the ex-chairman paid Rs 250 million in addition by accepting contractor’s escalation, damages and overhead expenditures.
It was estimated in the inquiry that the ex-Chairman had caused a loss of Rs 320 million in the civil works alone. The contractor used inferior material for false ceilings and glass works. The ex-chairman also visited the United States at the expense of the contractor. Against it, he was allowed further concessions. Instead of top quality US Air Handling Units, local AHUs were allowed to be installed, causing a loss of Rs 15 million. The ex-Chairman further rewarded him with Rs 25 million for escalation in dollar rates.
For building 18-storey building in the Blue Area, the contracting firm delayed the project for two years. A firm not pre-qualified was employed arbitrarily for airconditioning contract. The ex-Chairman visited Japan at the expense of the firm and allowed it concessions. The firm got advances and never finished the work.
The Evacuee Trust Property Board had been set up in 1960 to manage properties attached to Hindu and Sikh charitable trusts and shrines. It was reconstituted in 1975 as a legislative act of parliament, authorizing ETPB to lease out urban and rural lands under its jurisdiction. It included urban residential lands and commercial shops as well. How much property is owned by the ETPB no one knows exactly as it remained a closely guarded secret of those who spent their life-time in the organization. The property could not be sold out under Liaquat-Nehru Pact and ideally its income was to be used for the welfare of people and maintenance of Hindu and Sikh shrines. Long term lease could be made by the federal ministry for religious, minority affairs while short-term leases could be struck by ETPB officials.
The ETPB, however, remained the prime source of illegal income for its employees and successive mandarins of various governments. Mouths of rulers drivelled at the worth of the properties like sweet grapes hung by entwining twigs.
The grand sleaze started during Gen Zia ul Haq’s time when its corrupt managers were allowed to sell the properties and even give away to his favorites in charity. Many previous Chairmen, ETPB made money by declaring certain properties as non-trust, using their judicial discretion.
During Benazir Bhutto’s tenure, Sardar Fateh Mohammad Hassani was appointed its Chairman. The grand loot began during his tenure. He used the good offices of M H Bhatti, a clerk who rose to the office of Vice Chairman by dint of his expertise in ETPB properties. He gathered a team of dirty-doers and obliged senior officers in the ministry. His team included specialist brokers. The most corrupt among them were Ch Muzaffar Ali (patwari) and Khawaja Shahid Nazir. Muzaffar was promoted to the rank of Deputy Secretary and Administrator (He is now in NAB custody). Muzaffar became a ‘blued eyed boy’ of every Chairman because of being a good broker. He had also hired a retired officer for drafting letters and correspondence in English.
Lt Gen (retd) Khawaja Javed Nasir of Engineering Corps, who was a friend of Mian Mohammad Sharif, father of former prime minister Mr Nawaz Sharif and former chief minister Mr Shahbaz Sharif, was appointed Chairman, ETPB. The later rendered expert services to Sharif family, one of which was conversion of Rs 4 billion under a Trust known as Sharif Medical and Educational Complex, (now) Jati Umra (Raiwind).
Some of the biggest financial scandals have been occurring under the cover of ‘trusts’ manned by unscrupulous people.
Kh Javed Nasir had instant liking of Ch Muzaffar Ali and Khwaja Shahid Nazir. The latter was immediately promoted for building a bridge of corruption as a family clan. Shahid Nazir was already a notorious name as Deputy Administrator, Rawalpindi. He had managed fake approval letter for sale of 80 ETPB shops in Bara Market, Raja Bazar. He had sold shops instantly to tenants and pockets huge amount.
Later, the case landed with FIA and this organization had its pound of flesh in the shape of graft money. The government lost properties worth billions of rupees.
Javed Nasir struck his first fat deal with a person Zahid Shah courtesy Ch Muzaffar Ali. Zahid, a litigant, against ETPB became a friend and 35 kanals of precious ETPB land located at Chungi Amer Sadhu, adjacent to Overhead Bridge, Ferozepur Road was sold at Rs 60,000 per kanal through an executive order of the ex-Chairman. The land was worth Rs 1 million per kanal. The rest of the sales of ETPB land throughout the country, specially of ‘juicy plots and lands’ constituted a grand sleaze. According to estimates, the party made away with nearly Rs 3 billion.
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