Where is KPK & other provinces ??**
Punjab Govt accomplishes historic Digital Land Record Project**
Shehbaz vows to root out corruption, challenges accusers
Staff Reporter
Lahore—Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that completion of land record computerization is a historic event in the history of Punjab and Pakistan as such revolutionary measures will not only result in progress of the country but also in regaining its lost status.
He expressed these views while addressing a function of Punjab Land Record Management Information System here on Saturday.
He said that he is ready to face any punishment and quit politics if corruption of even a single penny is proved against him during all his three tenures.
He said that with the completion of revolutionary and historic project of land record computerization, land record centres have started extending services in 143 tehsils of Punjab.
He said that under this project, land record of 23,000 villages has been computerized. He said that land record computerization system will help eliminate disputes, unnecessary litigation, corruption and irregularities in the matters relating to non-movable properties as well as rid the people of Patwari culture.
The Chief Minister said that legislation will also be carried out in the assembly for further strengthening the system.
He said that this new system will continue even if the government is changed.
He said this modern system is in operation in all tehsils of the province for obtaining proprietary deeds and transfer of land. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, it was started as a pilot project in a tehsil of Kasur in 1997-98 but unfortunately due to martial law on 12th October 1999, the project was stopped.
A former chief minister of Punjab who boasted to elect president in uniform ten times during dictatorial era started work on this project in three districts but nothing was done practically and 90 crore rupees of the poor nation were wasted. He said that NAB did not investigate the matter, it should have taken notice of this fact. He said that accountability process is essential for every society for progress and prosperity.
He said that NAB is investigating various matters in Punjab for the last some months and the government has also extended full support to it in the investigation process. Shehbaz Sharif said he wanted to make it clear to his friends in Sindh who said that hue and cry is made when NAB started inquiry in Punjab that it is not so, rather, all out cooperation is provided to NAB for this
purpose.
He said that though scandals of billions of rupees surfaced during dictatorial era and documentary evidence is also available but no action has been taken. He said that he will soon bring the facts to light.
He said that during a private gathering last night, he talked about NAB as an institution and that there is documentary evidence about the scandals of billions of rupees relating to the period of dictatorship but NAB has not initiated any proceeding.
He said that disputes of the property were resulting in enmities and bloodshed while time and money of the people were wasted in unnecessary litigation. He said that modern system of land record computerization has changed the situation and now no one will have to give bribe for acquiring ownership deed or transfer of land but the problems of the property owners coming to land record computerization centers will resolve in a respectable manner. He said that this modern system will be strengthened through legislation so that it is not changed with the change of government.
The Chief Minister said that under this system, 50 lakh errors have been corrected while one hundred persons involved in corruption have been removed from service. He said that patwar culture has become a thing of the past. He said that had patwar khana been serving the people properly there was no need to change the system.
He said that this project has been completed due to collective wisdom and efforts besides commitment of the team which worked on the project. He said that after computerization of rural land, computerization of urban property will also be started and this process will also be completed expeditiously.
He said that merit, rule of law and transparency have been promoted in the province. He said that besides recruitments of lakhs of teachers, policemen, vacancies in all departments have been filled on merit and under the same policy, three thousand recruitments have been made for land record centers and no one has been appointed on political basis. He stressed upon the officers and staff of land record centers to serve the humanity with commitment and dedication and extend all out help to the people coming to these centers.
He said that in case of corruption or irregularity, accountability should be ensured. Shehbaz Sharif said that claim of computerization of land record has also been made in another province but if comparison is made with Punjab, facts will come to the light.
He said that World Bank representatives have declared land record computerization project in Punjab as splendid and transparent whereas Supreme Court in its observation in a case, has also commended land record computerization project in Punjab and declared it was an example for
other provinces.
He said that child labour from brick kilns will be curbed and the brick owners involved in forced labour will be sent to jail. He said that no one can be allowed to mortgage a family for a few lakh rupees and force children to work. He said that child labour from brick kilns will be eliminated at any cost.
Provincial Minister for Law Rana Sanaullah said that under the new system there is no room for corruption. He said that corruption, fraud and irregularities have been eliminated in new system.
Senior Member Board of Revenue Capt. (R) Zahid Saeed said that land record centers have all modern facilities and they have been linked with the headquarters through network. He said that the fee for getting proprietary deed has been fixed at Rs.150 whereas earlier people had to pay thousands of rupees for this purpose.
He said that overseas Pakistanis can also get information about their lands through this system.
He said that this project has been completed at a cost of 12 billion rupees and with the sum of 2.5 billion saved, a state of the art central data center is being set up where land record of all areas will be preserved.