FIA registers case against Glamour Textile Mills owners for occupying 74-kanal land

FIA registers case against Glamour Textile Mills owners for occupying 74-kanal land

Shahid Aslam
December 13, 2021

FIA registers case against Glamour Textile Mills owners for occupying 74-kanal land

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Lahore registered a case against Iftikhar Ahmad Malik and other owners of the Glamour Textile Mills for allegedly illegally occupying Evacuee Trust Property Board’s (ETPB) 74-kanal land in Lahore, Bol News has learnt.

“Prima facie, offences of abetment in crime (109 PPC), Cheating and Dishonesty (420 PPC), criminal breach of trust (409 PPC) and 5(2) 1947 are made out against owners/board of directors of Glamour Textiles Mills limited,” the FIA said. The FIR in this regard reads that the role of the ETPB officials would be determined during the investigation.

According to the FIA, serious illegalities by ETBP officials were found in the audit report causing a huge financial loss to the national exchequer. Audit of the ETPB for 2021 was conducted by the office of the Accountant General of Pakistan on the directions of the Supreme Court.

As per Audit Para No 25 of the aforesaid Forensic Audit Report about Agriculture Properties (Part-1): M. Iftikhar Ahmad Malik, Chairman of Glamour Textile Mills Ltd, Lahore had requested on January 19, 1995, for the sale of agriculture and lot No 1 (measuring 74 kanals and 15 marts) at Alouza Nehla Tehsil City District Lahore.

The then Chairman FTPB Lt Gen (retd) Javed Nasir approved the case after having a meeting with Iftikhar Ahmad Malik on June 22, 2000, without the approval of the federal government and ETP Board.

“Sultan Mehmood Malik, Deputy Secretary ETPB Lahore vide letter No537 on June 22, 2000, conveyed the decision of the chairman for allotment of land at 160,000 per acre, with 25 per cent to be paid before execution of the agreement and balance in eight (3) quarterly instalments.”

Moreover, the original request for transfer of lease rights turned to be a matter of sale of land after the meeting with the then Chairman ETPB Gen retd Javed Nasir. Salahuddin Ahmed Khan Niazi, ETTB Vice-Chairman cancelled the sale transaction vide letter No. 36 on April 12, 2002, and land was put to public auction.

According to FIA, Glamour Textile Mills approached the Lahore High Court which on November 21, 2005, rejected its appeal because the applicant did not avail departmental remedy and the SC also upheld the decision on February 14, 2006. Similarly, the matter remained pending with the departmental authorities. On June 14, 2012, Muhammad Juan J. Jamro, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs referred the case to the ETPB for disposal in line with observations of the apex court. However, the matter was still under the illegal occupation of Glamor Textile Mills Ltd, Lahore for the last more than two decades.

According to the FIA, the trust land was allocated without the approval of the federal government and the board in violation of section 18 (E) of the Scheme for the lease of evacuee trust agriculture in 1975. It is pertinent to mention here that the lessee obtained land from the ETPB for agriculture purposes while using it for commercial purposes, and the ETPB did not take action on the matter. The ETPB management has been illegally supporting the private party at the cost of the trust fund by keeping the matter pending for the last 14 years and providing loss to the exchequer.

According to the FIA, the ETPB management had replied to audit officials on August 9, 2021, that s Glamour Textile Mills Ltd had again approached the secretary ministry of religious affairs, and they would implement the decision in letter and spirit. But, according to audit officials, this justification is not acceptable as the land is still under the illegal occupation of Glamour Textile Mills, Lahore.